Café de Flore — Restaurant in Paris

Once, the Café de Flore was a temple of ideas, a place where thoughts bloomed like spring flowers. Today, it is a mausoleum—a name etched in history, but lifeless, its essence drowned in noise and the clatter of ambition. The café has died, not from neglect, but from the suffocation of its own fame.

What do a crowded train station and a frantic kitchen during peak hours have in common? The deafening chaos of the interior at Café de Flore. With a decibel meter in hand, I measured peaks of 82 decibels, with an average of 72—a far cry from the serene haven one imagines for philosophical debates. What would Simone de Beauvoir and Jean-Paul Sartre have made of this bedlam? Could their words have risen above the violent clatter of cups, the hurried barks of stressed waiters, or the crash of plates falling to the floor?

I had come seeking the spirit of Flore’s legendary past, but instead, I found disorder. Waiters rushed like choreographed automatons, their voices strained and tempers flaring. A dining room once steeped in elegance now echoed with frustration, as if the very walls lamented the loss of their former glory. Even the croque monsieur—a simple dish that should sing of Paris—was forgettable, an afterthought amidst the chaos.

And yet, a faint glimmer of its soul remains: the hot chocolate. A singular triumph, it is rich, indulgent, and utterly satisfying—a small redemption in an otherwise disheartening experience. It is the only reason this review earns two stars instead of one. If you go, skip the noise entirely. Take your hot chocolate to go and enjoy it somewhere peaceful, where the memory of the café’s former self might still linger.

But that, too, feels tragic. The Café de Flore was once more than just its menu. It was a meeting of minds, a sanctuary of ideas, and a stage for history. Now, it is a noisy, overcrowded parody of itself. The crowd waiting in line outside doesn’t come for quality; they come for a name. And that name, burdened by its own reputation, has become a gilded cage, trapping the café in mediocrity.

I left with a heavy heart, imagining what it might have been like decades ago. Sartre and Beauvoir debating over coffee, their voices filling the room with ideas, not noise. That café no longer exists. In its place is a ghost, clinging to fame while its spirit fades into obscurity.

Rating: 2/5 The Café de Flore has died, not in silence but in a cacophony of shattered dreams. Come for the hot chocolate, but leave your expectations—and your love of...

A Disheartening Experience at Café de Flore – June 9

Dear Café de Flore Management,

I am writing to you with deep disappointment following an upsetting experience my wife and I had at your café on June 9th, around 9:30 AM.

This visit was meant to be special. It was my wife's first time in Paris—a city I’ve personally visited five times and grown to cherish. When she suggested we visit Café de Flore, I agreed, even though I had never been before. It was her dream to experience the Paris she had imagined.

However, our experience was completely overshadowed by the unacceptable behavior of one of your waiters. His attitude went far beyond a professional failure—it was a failure of basic human decency. He treated us with obvious anger and resentment, showing a complete lack of respect and kindness. It felt less like a service issue and more like a personal grievance taken out on guests. He made us feel unwelcome and dehumanized from the very beginning.

He treated us with blatant rudeness and disregard. His attitude was cold and dismissive from the start, making us feel as though we were a burden simply for being there. I do not recall his exact name, but it sounded something like “Dídli” or similar in pronunciation—perhaps this may help you identify him.

The situation escalated to the point where my wife, overwhelmed by the disrespect, quietly went upstairs to the restroom and cried. It broke my heart to see her like that—on what was supposed to be one of the highlights of her first visit to Paris.

I did briefly speak to the manager on duty before leaving. However, I was emotionally drained and eager to get away from the situation, and unfortunately, I was unable to clearly express how upsetting the experience truly was.

We are well aware that Café de Flore is an iconic place with a long history and a certain prestige. But no history or tradition justifies treating guests without humanity or kindness. What should have been a joyful memory became one of sadness and regret.

I am sharing this with the hope that no other visitor—especially one experiencing Paris for the first time—will be made to feel as we did. I urge you to take this message seriously and reflect on the kind of hospitality that truly honors the legacy of your...

Dessert: 1.The hot dark chocolate is not hot at all, just warm. 2.The bread in the sandwiches isn’t crispy—it’s as hard as marble, like it’s been taken out of the microwave, making it really difficult to chew. You don’t need to go to the dentist, just Café de Flore. Their sandwiches can help pull out your teeth!

3.The coffee isn't at the right temperature. It's neither decent nor flavorful.

4.Don’t listen to those YouTubers' recommendations. They get likes and subscribers just because of Café de Flore’s fame, though I don’t understand why it has such a "good reputation." I wouldn't want to try it again—once is more than enough for me.

The Crème brûlée's top layer isn't crispy, and it lacks the expected caramelized flavor. It tastes as if it was just taken out of the fridge, leaving a stale aftertaste.

Customer Service & Poor Staff Training:

If you are not WHITE enough, don't even go there.

1.The waiter, with grey spiky hair and about 5 feet 9 inches tall, was incredibly rude. He made customers wait while he cleared the table, even though we were about to leave. But unless he cleared the table first, he wouldn’t be happy enough to help us pay the bill. I noticed that he treated other tables differently, acting cheerful and greeting newcomers. After they finished, he would clean their tables gently. When we asked to pay the bill, he got annoyed and said, "Ah, yeah? So you’re not finished?" Then he scowled and threw the plates back onto the table.

The way he placed the utensils and water glasses made it clear how frustrated he was with his life, slamming them down with a lot of noise. But I don’t care—he’s supposed to do his job, and if he can’t, he shouldn’t be there getting paid.

Is it common at Café de Flore to throw the credit card back to customers? It was such an UNBELIEVABLE...