Le Layon — Restaurant in Lyon

Our party of 3 picked this place based on a particular positive review, mentioning “the best French onion soup” - to that, I agree very much with, as it was indeed very well prepared.

As for the rest of the dishes that we ordered: foie gras - okay but not the best we’ve had Steak (two of us ordered steaks) - both were overly seasoned with salt and pepper. Perhaps it’s better to not overdo it and let the customer add them later based on their own preference? Fish - the fish itself was fine but the sauce has way too much butter in it in our opinion and so the dish was a bit heavy overall. To be fair, whether it’s too much or not enough butter, it is obviously a subjective matter.

We also appreciate that we were able to reserve a table quite last minute on a Saturday night (and it was raining out).

Unfortunately for us though:

1. there were two toddlers at two different tables during our time at the restaurant, and they were both acting fussy and so they were both crying out loud at times. The restaurant itself is not very big, the tables were placed very close to one another, and it’s got a relatively low ceiling. So if you happen to be looking for a romantic night out or simply a quieter place to dine, this might not the best option for you.

2. my husband happens to be extremely allergic to animal hair, so much so that his throat would close and have difficulty breathing when there are pets within close proximity to him (again this was a small restaurant with low ceiling). We didn’t realize that pets were allowed in this restaurant and during our meal, a big and long-haired pet dog was brought in (very cute dog I must add), and so we were taken by surprise. The unfortunate part was that the dog happens to be at the table right next to us (again tables close to one another). In the end, my husband had to shove the food down very quickly and then leave the restaurant as fast as he could, while the rest of us finish our meals. This obviously has nothing to do with the restaurant, and for all other people without allergies, of course it’s nice to have pet-friendly restaurant options. But if you happen to be allergic to animal hair too, maybe at least make sure the restaurant can put you in another table, further from the...

We wanted to try a traditional French meal and were not disappointed. We were seated immediately and were offered water and a choice of other beverages.

We started off with bone marrow and the foie gras (comes with a lemon wine). This was our first time trying foie gras and I liked it… it’s not as scary as some people make it out to be. It’s very rich and fatty with a hint of gaminess. The bone marrow was very good too, it needed a bit of the smoked salt that came with the bread which took the experience up a notch.

I thoroughly enjoyed my duck breast as a main dish. I was a bit thrown off by the sweetness of the honey, but overall a great dish. My wife was not thrilled with her pike dish, but the crab sauce and rice were solid.

The service was great even though they were busy and we were glad to try some authentic...

Love this restaurant!

I got here around 8:30pm and it was half empty. Within half an hour, the place is packed.

The food is just amazing and incomparable to anywhere else I've been in Europe.

Of course I had my favorite dishes which consisted of Shrimp with tapenade; frog legs cooked in butter and Parsley+garlic. It was simply heavenly. The Pinot Gris from south of France is the best I have tasted, couldn't believe there's wine this delicious, smooth and crisp, with a tinted pink color.

Within my short 8 hour stay in the city, this restaurant made a huge impression on me regarding the city of Lyon, which is renowned to have the best gourmet food. I need to come back...