Les Bains du Castel — Restaurant in Nice

The location and views are magnificent, and the service was good with one exception; you will be put on the spot to add gratuity to the bill. For reasons you’ll read below; we declined a gratuity—but the waitress added 20€ anyway and ran my card without me seeing. When I saw the print out, I let her know of the “oversight” and she brought me a 20€ note. With that being said, the food was absolutely dreadful. So disappointing.

We started with the burrata and ceviche. The burrata was some odd kind of whipped mozzarella cheese that was completely flavorless. The ceviche was sashimi - completely raw fish. Not that we wouldn’t enjoy sashimi, but that’s not what we ordered, and it arrived warm - yuck, warm sashimi… For the main, one of us had the langoustine pasta dish — it was completely inedible. It was like watery boxed macaroni & cheese with a fish flavor that was absolutely unappealing.

Sadly, for our family of three (one child) the bill was a 150€ for two starters and two main courses — no alcohol or desserts - just food. As locals to Nice, we are accustomed to prices in this range for some of the finest restaurants in town (as this was touted to be). As a matter of fact, a week earlier we dined in the regular Castel restaurant and it was terrific. So, it’s a real head scratcher as to why this was SO BAD. Until they announce either a new chef, new ownership or something — we...

We were celebrating our 25th wedding anniversary which I had notified the restaurant of in advance but no reference was made to our special occasion…starters (lobster roll and langoustine) arrived and they were nice although I did think the brioche bun on the lobster roll was a little on the stale side…our plates were cleared along with our napkins…I asked he waiter for something to wipe my hands with along with new napkins, but nothing came. When our main course arrived I again asked for napkins but still nothing we had to use the cloth from the wine cooler to wipe our hands. We ordered monk fish and blue fin tuna…the monk fish was cold…my husband asked me not to bring this to the waiters attention as otherwise while it was being heated my food would go cold…our water also ran out again I asked for a refill but this didn’t happen…our waiter returned when we’d finished our mains to see if we wanted dessert …I reminded him of the napkins wipes and water that we needed…he apologised and returned with same. We did not want dessert I just wanted to leave …we got the bill and I expressed what we had experienced…he apologised and asked if we’d like a drink to make up for the disappointment…I said no a paid the bill (€247) he insisted again so my husband agreed …I was truly disappointed by the whole experience I would not recommend this...

Les Bains du Castel offers an experience that’s both impressive and disappointing in equal measure. Let’s start with the positives—the food is absolutely amazing. Every dish I tried was flavorful, beautifully presented, and clearly crafted with care. The culinary experience alone makes it a place worth visiting.

The restaurant itself has a lot of charm, with a stunning view that elevates the dining experience. Watching the sunset while enjoying a meal is nothing short of breathtaking. However, the ambiance does need a bit of attention. The place is good but could benefit from a little TLC to truly shine—some aspects feel a bit neglected, and a refresh would do wonders.

Unfortunately, what left a sour taste in my mouth was the state of the restroom facilities. They were absolutely disgusting, which was a stark contrast to the otherwise pleasant surroundings. It’s a detail that really detracts from the overall experience and made me hesitate to consider returning.

In summary, Les Bains du Castel excels in food and views, but the cleanliness, particularly of the toilets, is something that needs urgent improvement. If that issue is addressed, it could easily become a...