Le METEOR — Restaurant in Strasbourg

Do not go to this place. Waiters, cooks and baristas are skilled, they make good food and do their best. Beers are good too. Prices are too expensive. But going there implies supporting an abusive organization that relies on a multilayered hierarchy to monitor the staff and put pressure on them, making them feel unsafe and under stress all the time when it's not needed ; in short, it is very similar to a denunciation system, where anyone is encouraged and rewarded to report one's behavior to it's direct superior. Why the need to set such horrible system?

On top of that, there are abusive rules. Rules that are completely stupid, unnecessary, and sometimes contradictory. This place is called a "pub", a place to have good time. So they forbid their staff to put their hands in their pockets, to stand with arms fold. And of course, it's forbidden to sit, forbidden to drink liquid where customers can see you, etc. What's the point of all this? Maintain elegance and class. Wow, such class, your employees will never fold their arms, but on the other hand your tartes flambées wooden plates never cleaned between uses, simply scraped with a tool, meaning that you get leftover element of the tartes inherited from previous customers on the surface of the plate. The worst is that sometimes the tarte is served on the face of the plate that was lying on the surface of the table itself, so it's basically like giving you food that was put directly on the table of your previous customers. Personally, I don't mind, I don't think it's unhygienic, but it shows how much the rules here are contradictory and all about "appearance", or satisfaction of the director who might take pleasure in knowing that these stupid rules are enforced in his business.

On the topic of "class" they also refuse to have the table numbers printed or stick on tables. So employees must stupidly learn by heart the number of each table within the first days of work there. It leads to unnecessary mistakes and virtually increases the difficulty of the job. Because of class. Yeah. The thing is that use this to quickly sort what kinds of employee is suited to work in this environment, or the kind that should be swept off. It's absurd. Most restaurant/pubs of that size in the world have numbers on their tables. It has nothing to do with class, it's just more effective, it facilites work.

Other example that is infuriating and insulting, especially for the very ones working here, is the stupid rules around food wastes. Many tartes flambées are thrown away to the trash because they might be slightly too cook, or because there is some mistake with the order. In these cases, it's forbidden to save the food for the staff. At least for the team of 3-4 cooks who do these tartes flambées under managerial pessure. The food is simply wasted. Nothing can justify the pure waste of food.

All in all, friendly staff, good food and beer, but behind the scenes it's a place which no one should support. It's not a traditional pub restaurant, it's a greedy business that lures customers and employees alike, to the first selling overpriced beers, to the latter underpaying them and keeping them in stressful, abusive and precarious conditions. I can't even imagine nowadays with end-of-the-year holidays the situation in this place. I repeat, do not go there, there are many better places to go...

Unprofessional and Inhumane Treatment

I was sitting at a table downstairs when I started feeling dizzy due to fatigue and the overwhelming heat in the crowded room. To get some fresh air, I went upstairs and sat near the entrance but I had a sudden drop in blood pressure. I felt lightheaded, started sweating, and was on the verge of fainting.

The staff noticed me quickly, but instead of offering any proper support, one employee immediately assumed the worst: "Hey, you're drunk. This is not a hostel. Get out, or we call the police." He kept harassing me every 10 seconds, repeating, "Stand up, or I call the police." My head was spinning, I was sweating, and for a moment, I felt like vomiting—not just from my condition, but from the sheer stress of being berated in front of everyone.

Security then dragged me outside while I was half-unconscious. Fifteen minutes later, I started feeling better and wanted to go back inside, but security informed me they needed the restaurant's permission. So, I had to wait another 10 minutes in the cold, without my jacket, before someone finally let me in.

On a positive note, security handled the situation well. They quickly realized I wasn’t some troublemaker, just someone who had fainted. The restaurant, however? Absolutely...

Here’s an enhanced version of your review, keeping the original sentiment intact while improving clarity and flow:

The atmosphere of the place was exactly what we were looking for—lively and energetic, yet warm and welcoming, making it a perfect spot for catching up with loved ones and enjoying a good conversation.

The staff were exceptionally helpful and accommodating, even though we didn’t speak French. Considering it was a busy Christmas day and Strasbourg was bustling with activity, their attentiveness was commendable.

Unfortunately, the food fell short of our expectations. The soup was overwhelmingly buttery in flavor, the vegetarian burger lacked depth and seasoning, and while the roast was decent, the roasted pumpkin missed the mark. Additionally, the salad we ordered lacked texture and freshness, which was a bit disappointing.

Despite the food not living up to the vibe of the place, I’d still recommend giving it a try. The welcoming ambiance and attentive service might make it a worthwhile...