Le Refuge des Fondus — Restaurant in Paris

This is clearly a place for those who aren't hungry and enjoy playing with their food. Paying €29 (it's a set menu) to eat cheese and bread with some starters you could buy from a supermarket isn't a proper dinner. First I was rudely demanded to remove my jacket 3 times as I would get hot and take up too much space wearing it (I could not lean against the cold wall the entire meal as it was freezing), climbed over a chair to get to the other side of a table and had hot oil and one cheese fondue (not a mix of cheeses like a proper fondue) put in front of me with bread pieces and meat and potato pieces. No vegetables or other food items in sight. Not even a salad. Staff served alcohol without checking whether we drink - which we don't. And then serving drinks in a baby bottle which also was confusing why? And overall disliked the tone and vibe of the staff and restaurant. For those who want a proper dinner STAY CLEAR. We left hungry and frustrated with the poor service and set up. Honestly whole thing is a fire risk, and we felt trapped with hot oil present on several tables. We watched a girl climb back over the table to leave with the fondue pots still on her table unmoved! If the gimmicks had meaning that was not explained whatsoever by the staff who seemed fed up from the start with a false happy accent that was grating. If you enjoy gimmicks and subpar service then go ahead. This felt like a tourist/instagram trap as there was not a single French person in sight but clearly looking at other reviews this will appeal to those who prioritise "unique" experiences over actual eating. This would have made a barely acceptable lunch offer but not dinner and the price would need to lower - you pay the same for cheese and bread as you do for the meat and potato fondue option (2 people can only pick 1 option unless you're a group like we were of 4 so we could get both) which I find not fair either. Fun concept restaurants work when the concept is explained and the food is up to par and this was not it. I will not be recommending this to any of my friends and family hence.

I expected a horrible response as I've seen your responses to previous comments. I've explained all the issues in my response, you are not objective which is fine just don't pretend. You are possibly racist because your staff treated us rudely from the get go, claiming hostility from a black woman is the oldest trick in the book get over yourselves. This very French attitude is further why I wouldn't recommend - our friend booked this as a pleasant dinner surprise - it is not the guests job to do full research beforehand that is pompous of you. There are a million other places that can accommodate, humble yourselves and you might appreciate why the negative...

For now, one of the worst experience in Paris I've had. I had reserved a table for 21.30, we got in at least 20 minutes after. That would have been a blessing had I been wise enough to leave straight away. First red flag that I should have paid attention to: NOBODY in the queue was French, that is not a problem per sé but it shows that locals do not come here. Second red flag: apparently everybody was there because they had seen the place on Instagram. Please people, don't come here thinking you have discovered some hidden gem, because it is not. General rule: if you go to a place you saw through Instagram, it's too late. It will be either overcrowded or just not worth it, Refuge des Fondus is incredibly both. Now the very place: you have to climb on a table to get to the other seat, yes you put your shoe on the table on which you'll soon eat. Suit yourself. The entrées are a joke, and it is wrong to call them "amuse-bouches", I assure you my mouth was not amused whatsoever. Me and my gf had the fondue de fromage, which is for two persons minimum so it's either that or that. The mixture inside the pot was completely separated and would not thicken, and it was served with what were likely two-day old pieces of bread, NOTHING else. Raw materials cost to the place: probably 4 euros. Price to us: 29 euros each. The idea of the baby bottles is nice on paper, of course it depends on what you put inside those bottles. Being the wine so bad I genuinely thought it was vinegar I wasn't on board with the baby bottle thing so much anymore after a few sips. The music inside the place is, lacking of a better word, awful. They have a playlist of 15 songs from 1985 to 2012, and I let you imagine the mood when Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! by ABBA played for the third time in 40 minutes. My sympathy goes to those servers who have to listen to the same songs for every batch of clients (yes you enter in batches in the place). Finally, the dessert: nothing to write home about. I was hungry but couldn't eat anymore because the cheese had sickened me by then. Now, what I am going to say next is purely personal so you don't have to necessarily take it into account: the people that come because they saw the place on Instagram are just so self-absorbed and worried about making a story every 5 seconds, that the format of the place gets weakened in my opinion. From external eyes it is sad to look at, because for them it is not about having a nice experience, it is about showing to others you are making an experience. This would not be a problem in general but the very format of the place is founded on socialising, and how can you if people are too busy showing off? Servers were kind, they speak a...

For the ultimate “my mother was right moment” head to refuge des fondus in Montmartre.

Growing up your parents told you not to play with your food. Well, now you can. And you can climb the tables, write on the walls and drink from a baby bottle too!

The catch? Poor service, bad attitudes, 0 communication, enforced alcohol, demands to strip down your layers, low quality food, extortionate price. Oh, and a que to get in. On top of all of this the team there still have the audacity to ask for a tip.

This experience is up for grabs in the city of love. For just €29 per person you too can be sat in a fire trap, with your very own pot of boiling oil. But not quite boiling enough to cook the one type of raw meat and potatoes you are served with, for the meat fondue.

The cheese fondue, of one cheese and bits of bread pitifully compares to the expectations of a fondue experience in Pairs. Where you expect at least more than one type of cheese, different elements to dip in it, space to breathe and enjoy your meal.

Once you’ve had your degrading fill of carbs and mediocrity, you are offered a desert that is included in the price. We didn’t feel the need to brave this. After the abysmal display of what they’re supposed to be good at.

Apparently popular since 1966. This shrine to gimmicks has made its name again recently due to social media interest. A trend I really hope is short lived as it’s just so disappointing.

It was already a struggle to stomach the food, then the bill came along.

Best to avoid. Get your lazy Susan out and serve up your own fondue!

*edit to respond to restaurants obtuse and frankly what I suspect to be racist and discriminatory reply. My friend was cold. She was going to wear her coat. You don’t have chairs for coats to be put on.

I am disabled I told your team this as I stepped over your tables.

Your service and attitude here are clearly the issue.

We were lied to on social media. Daftly we believed a positive review of this place. Clearly you don’t want people finding out about your restaurant online, visiting, then honestly reviewing.

I look forward to continuing my relentless negative comments. Being objective works both ways. You have clearly...