L'Escalier — Restaurant in Marseille

We had high hopes for this restaurant in Cassis, given its reputation and upper-class pricing, but unfortunately, our experience fell far short of expectations.

The fish soup was incredibly bland, yet somehow overly “fishy” in flavor—not the rich, well-balanced broth we had hoped for. My linguine was similarly overwhelming in fishiness and far too salty, making it difficult to enjoy. Even the salad was disappointing, with limp, day-old greens that lacked any freshness.

The one redeeming factor was the friendly service. It’s a family-run restaurant, and the staff was warm and accommodating. However, they never checked on us after serving the food. Given that we barely touched our plates, it was surprising that no one asked if something was wrong or offered any kind of gesture to make up for the poor quality.

For the high prices this restaurant charges, we expected much better. Unfortunately, while the atmosphere and service were pleasant, the food simply did not meet the standard. We left feeling disappointed and...

Very good. We both had 3 course dinner. I felt I would be perfectly happy if we paid 15-20% less. But I guess it is because of the tourist area prime location at pick season….

However, the fish soup was delicious with a very delicate density of fish fiber being present. Right level of herbs and spices.

We tried the seafood pasta: very simple and elegant way of cooking. No extra sauce; whatever was there , was there only so that we can complement the main ingredients. The squid’s and octopus were cooked perfectly and the integrity of the meat was intact.

The dessert was cafe gourmet: maybe the sweets could be a bit less in number and a bit more selective in quality. Common sense : after having so much food one doesn’t have that much room left for all those.

Very friendly service: was really happy to receive such warm welcome in this pick tourist season.

Location is very pleasant.

For a fine evening: strongly...

Set in the alleyways with mostly friendly staff. We took their three course menu option for a decent price, but average quality.

The fish soup starter was not to everyone’s liking, although was an interesting experience to eat, while the salmon tartare was nothing special and tasted of oil. Of the mains, the pavé de poisson (cod) was nice and of a decent size, while the filets de rougets (red mullet) were rather small and not particularly flavoursome. The entrecôte was generous although tough. The desserts weren’t good. You’d get better value at a nearby...