Les Grands Buffets
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Les grands buffets Imagine what happens when you mix French gastronomy history, a love for local products, luxury items; with the concept of a buffet and just a tiny touch of over the top! That’s how you get les Grands Buffets!! This was the wild idea Louis Privat, founder and owner of les Grands Buffets put in place multi-denominational French tradition in Narbonne. Following the steps of big french’s aristocratic banquets. I can only try to explain the concept and experience, but honestly words are missing. It’s a banquet, an experience beyond reality. I cannot think of any other places in the world where you get a chance to taste various refined gourmet products throughout your whole meal, specialties from around the country and even further around the world, for 37,90€. Its upper dining experience made accessible. No wonder they serve about a thousand person per day and have an incredible reputation. They say you need to make a reservation months in advance to get a place. The restaurant Les Grands Buffets, in Narbonne, offers the largest platter in the world in a restaurant, with a collection of more than 111 cheeses. Lobsters, oysters, cured meat, a farandole of foie gras, gigantic seafood platter, finally treat yourself to a variation of cold meats with 9 different hams to taste. It’s impossible to get a sense of the whole menu only in a single visit as the offer is no less than grand. To accompany everything, the bottle served at the table is at producer price. You may also choose from a selection of 70 Languedoc-Roussillon wines, all offered by the glass. Truly, Louis Privat has made the impossible possible and he’ll continue to grow his wonderful and proud concept further. It shows a love for traditional cuisine and the French’s gastronomic history. You don’t even need to understand all the décor hints and links to aristocracies and the tributes to silverware, and “les arts de la table” to appreciate. Let yourself indulge in as many tradition as possible!
Joanie MetivierJoanie Metivier
20
This is the most useful review for you - if you are flexible in terms of time, sometimes there are cancellations and you can snap up some reservations just 2 weeks before. You must enter your credit card information and the reservation is not modifiable. This is definitely the best buffet we have had in the world. In terms of quality and price, nothing can compare. Here is the suggested route : start with the hot food (order from the chef one plate at a time, signatures are highly recommended. The Rossini steak was amazing with a seared foie gras. The nante scallop was surprisingly good with the creamy mushroom sauce. The American style lobster was okay and the pan fried foie gras of course was amazing. Then move onto the cold seafood - highly recommend the lobster and the crab legs. Oysters were good but not out of this world. In between somewhere have some ice cream, they have fancy ice cream combo with liquor that you can order. The reason for this order is that most people does cold seafood first and then hot food, if you don't mind changing the sequence it will save a lot of time waiting in line, although the lines move fast. If you can, I suggest going in early like 12 or 12:15, it gets very busy at 1pm. It's like Disneyland. The cold seafood closes at 3pm, hot food closes at 3:30pm, and the ice cream was supposed to close at 3:30pm but it opened till 4pm when we were there. The dessert closes at 4pm. It's nice that you can eat slowly and the champagne of the house is really good so we got a case to take home. We also recommend visiting the Carcassone castle if you are coming from the west.
Vivian S.Vivian S.
90
The food was undeniably delicious and of high quality. However, the overall experience was overshadowed by misleading information and poor customer service. Leading up to our visit, we received numerous emails emphasizing strict policies, such as non-modifiable reservations, cancellation fees, and a dress code (honestly, making you feel stressed that not following their rules, means no access to the place and you being charged nonetheless) Despite all this, when we arrived, we realized that the dress code was not enforced, as many guests were underdressed, contrary to the restaurant's reputation and requirements to “live this moment in harmony with the place and lend yourself to the game of elegance” as they mention in their emails. Unnecessary stress caused. The queue management was another issue. Despite having a reservation, we faced a long wait and were presented with 2 options, either to wait at the queue or go to a nearby pub to purchase drinks for a pass to skip the line. This was frustrating, as we had secured our reservation months in advance and did not expect to be treated as walk-ins. Our reservation was at 8:00 PM, and we were under the impression from their registered hours in Google that the restaurant closes at 9:15 PM on Tuesdays. So we inquired this at the entrance and the staff informed us they close at 9:30 PM, still giving us the impression we had very limited time to dine. This misinformation caused significant stress, as we felt rushed due to the perceived time constraint. We later discovered that the restaurant actually closes at midnight, which made the rushed feeling unnecessary and confusing. To add to the discomfort, the room we were seated in, La Salle à manger Ann Carrington, was not air-conditioned, making it uncomfortably warm. The environment was far from the refined experience advertised, with children running around and even a baby crying nearby constantly. The restaurant's portrayal of a strict and elegant dining experience is not reflected in reality. Additionally, an extra person who wanted to join us was initially told he couldn't enter due to a lack of space, even though we noticed empty tables around us. They were advised to wait because a table might open up and he then inquired about the hours the restaurant closes but he was told they close at 22:00 this time. As I mentioned above, we found out that the restaurant closes at midnight and this thanks to a very polite and kind waitress who told us the truth finally. In summary, while the food was excellent, the overall experience was negatively impacted by poor communication, misleading information, and a lack of adherence to the restaurant's own stated policies. The ambiance did not match the sophisticated dining experience we anticipated.
Stefania PekouStefania Pekou
10
I would encourage any American to visit this buffet, but in a way it was very refreshing to see it's mostly frequented by the French, which in my mind is a testament to it's quality...I do not believe a place like this could exist in America, not only would it be an exorbitant price (I cannot believe this buffet only cost me $70 with sparkling water) but due to the nature of the American public, queuing would be an issue and squabbles would definitely break out over food (as seen from my buffet experience in nyc) Where else can you get a tower of lobster, vat of caviar, endless smoked salmon, prosciutto and charcuterie, roasted duck, prepared plates of specialities ranging from hare to turbot, French delicacies (frog, escargot, etc), the Guinness book world of records for cheese in a restaurant (Walter thank you for your kindness and guidance, shout out to Walter at the cheese station, you are the best!), a chocolate fountain, so many desserts I lost count, a crepe station, the best sorbet I've ever had, ice cream bar... Anything less than 5 stars is insane, they clearly state on the website you will be charged if you don't show up!! It was clear to a non-french speaker so do not fault the establishment for that Vanessa was a fantastic hostess and Pamela went above and beyond as a server! Truly made me the day extra special for me.... the only thing that pained my heart was that I was not able to leave a tip on a credit card for Pamela, I did not realize this was the case in France, I know tipping is not common but I want to express my gratitude to Pamela as I couldn't show it monetarily
Andrew DAndrew D
00
This French buffet, nestled within a sports complex in the suburbs, offers multiple seating areas and a traditional atmosphere. Accessible mainly by car, each section boasts dedicated waitstaff who can speak French, Spanish, and English and usually they can help in these languages. Despite booking in June 2023, we encountered a wait of at least six months due to limited seating. Arriving promptly at 12 pm for our 1 pm reservation, we faced a slight setback as our reservation couldn't be initially located. Fortunately, presenting the confirmation email rectified the issue, albeit resulting in a less-than-ideal seating arrangement amidst the bustling crowd. The culinary offerings leaned heavily towards cheese and foie gras, with limited variety elsewhere. Hot dishes comprised standard French fare, though ordering was slightly cumbersome due to French-only instructions and the restriction of ordering one item at a time. Consequently, we observed French-speaking patrons enjoying dishes unfamiliar to us. Desserts, reminiscent of chain bakery offerings, lacked refinement and aesthetic appeal. While the experience was marred by crowded dining areas and insufficient multilingual guidance, the 57.90 EUR per person price tag (excluding drinks) seemed steep for the overall quality. With a final bill of around 130 EUR for two, we found ourselves questioning the value proposition, especially considering alternatives in Madrid offering superior service and cuisine at similar prices. While worth a visit if in the vicinity, traveling to Narbonne solely for this restaurant may not be justified.
Evan Kuo (Taiwanese in Madrid)Evan Kuo (Taiwanese in Madrid)
170
This is hands down the godmother of all buffets and worth a visit at least once in your life if u are ever in southern France. You might be a little baffled at the exterior of the building but once u enter, it seems u are transcended into a musée with opulent decor and 4 different dining areas. It took us 6 months to finally secure a table and well worth the wait. To be honest, the spread wasn't very big but the curation of each section was very well thought out. The plat station was especially impressive. U order what u want n u could see the army of chef behind preparing your order n finishing the final touches right before you and every plat looked like what came out of a fine dining restaurant. The crowds might seems intimidating but the service was swift and very well-oiled. And of cos the cheese station was nothing I have seen. 111 cheeses from all over france and they have little tags to tell u what cheeses u take which u put on the plate. It was both thoughtful and rather educational. The wine selections was also plentiful and sell at producers' prices which was crazy affordable. Overall for the price of 42euro, it was well worth the price especially if u know what to go for. The overall service was also amazing and very friendly. We ate from 1pm to 4pm and couldn't much move after. Tips to conquer this buffet: starve yourself at least 1 day before, wear elastic or bigger size pants, forget about calories for the day and just GO AT IT. I hope to come back again. Highly recommend.
Sharlene LimSharlene Lim
130
Nearby Attractions Of Les Grands Buffets
Collegiale Saint-Paul
Maison des Trois Nourrices

Collegiale Saint-Paul
4.5
(52)Click for details

Maison des Trois Nourrices
4.2
(36)Click for details
Nearby Restaurants Of Les Grands Buffets
KFC Narbonne
Restaurant Burger & Cassolette Narbonne
Chez Franck
Le Fournil De Gilles
La Table Saint Crescent
Lou Castel
Bistro Régent Narbonne
Private Bowling Pub
The Wine Palace
Restaurant La Boucherie

KFC Narbonne
3.9
(2.1K)Click for details

Restaurant Burger & Cassolette Narbonne
4.5
(874)Click for details

Chez Franck
4.7
(662)Click for details

Le Fournil De Gilles
4.0
(555)Click for details
Basic Info
Address
Rdpt de la Liberté, 11100 Narbonne, France
Map
Phone
+33 4 68 42 20 01
Call
Website
lesgrandsbuffets.com
Visit
Reviews
Overview
4.6
(11.4K reviews)
Ratings & Description
Description
All-you-can-eat buffets offering meats, cheeses & desserts in a polished, wood-paneled restaurant.
attractions: Collegiale Saint-Paul, Maison des Trois Nourrices, restaurants: KFC Narbonne, Restaurant Burger & Cassolette Narbonne, Chez Franck, Le Fournil De Gilles, La Table Saint Crescent, Lou Castel, Bistro Régent Narbonne, Private Bowling Pub, The Wine Palace, Restaurant La Boucherie
