Chez Le Bougnat — Restaurant in Lisieux

Travelling with my fiancé across France for 2 months, so it’s fair to say we have eaten at MANY French restaurants during our trip. After a while, all the restaurants have blurred into one but wow, we absolutely were not expecting this place to be this outstanding. We have eaten our way through Michelin-starred restaurants in Paris, Biarritz and La Rochelle and we have stayed exclusively at hotels so have not had access to a kitchen and thus eat at a restaurant at least twice a day- but wow our experience at Le Bougnat has been the most satisfying! Authentic French cuisine, generous portions, unique menu items in a quaint little town not far from Deauville. I would especially recommend eating here if you are tired of the Normandy seafood and would just love a taste of lamb, entrecôte, etc. expertly cooked. We are just so very impressed with the food here. As for the American reviewers who gave this place a bad reviews. Please check your attitudes at the door. This place does get busy after 1pm because the food is absolutely excellent and this is not an American McDonald’s or your local Denny’s. A polite Bonjour sprinkled with some s’il vous plaits will go a long way. Highly recommended for authentic French cuisine with a nice selection of regional specialties. Serves the best foie gras and ris de veau i have had in France. The tripe a la mode de Caen is also a must-try! Especially if you do not want to go all the way Caen to try this specialty. Thank you so much for a...

My family and I had the privilege of visiting this remarkable institution of French cuisine. From the moment we stepped through the doors, we knew we were in for something exceptional, and they certainly did not disappoint. My wife and I shared one of the specialties, the “Création du Bougnat,” a beef rib dish that has been slow-cooked for an incredible 72 hours. This absolutely divine dish is a must-try for any beef lover. It's worth mentioning that everything in this bistro is made from scratch, including their cooking oils, which come from the animal fats they prepare on-site. They are among the last remaining bistros in France that embrace this traditional method of cooking.

Another testament to how special Chez Le Bougnat is as a French culinary institution occurred when one of our twin daughters accidentally left behind a small bracelet she had just purchased from a nearby shop. When we returned the next day to ask if they had found it, we were amazed to discover that the waiter had kept it in his pocket overnight, hoping we would come back.

I cannot recommend this place enough! If you want to experience genuine French cuisine, you absolutely have to visit...

I expected a little more... but the first impression wasn't false I guess. The design is very simple and not comfortable. The food was absolutely horrible! Everything tasted like fish! Also the potatoes and tomatoes. I thought the dessert could rescue the evening but it wasn't like this. It looked and tasted like it was directly from a supermarket. The waiter came to serve the spoons for the desserts and pulled them out of his shirts pocket, where also his mobile phone was, which is, as everyone knows, not the hygienist! That was a no go! And one time, when I was able to take a look into the kitchen, the cook dropped his knife and without cleaning it, the kept using it after that! Also it was very loud! No toilet paper at the restroom. I think that visit will stay forever in my mind, but sadly in the bad way. I will never go there again. And especially for tourists: you can find better places to eat! Shouldn't be that...