Les Cygnes — Restaurant in Thonon-les-Bains

Short version: I will take a break from perches Chez Jules.

Being in the area, I have driven some kilometers more to eat Chez Jules. My review from a few months before is below.

This still is an excellent place to eat fresh fish. For a regular restaurant this would have been a three star review, even a four. For Chez Jules, it's a two, as it was such a drop in expectations. From an impeccable service, to a friendly eatery.

The view remains superb. The service dropped. I have ordered a side dish of mashed potatoes. I have received baked small potatoes. The server had no idea what is going on. The waiter told me they don't do mashed potatoes. Yes, no mousse de fera either. Than surprise, where's the third dish? Well, they have forgotten it. Salad? Do you want salad? Yes, with perches I always get a salad too.

During dinner, I had to ask for more salad, or to get the dirty dishes taken away, although I have moved them all in a stack on the side.

The perches a la creme were good, but the sauce was very liquid. The perches a l'ail were in a few spoons of water. Very tasty, but that was rather soup than sauce. Also the latter were quite dry, almost crunchy. And the fries were also way too dry. The salad was the usual crunchy and very fresh.

The server was clumsy. The fries were put the farthest away from all. At one point, the ashtray was moved to the center of the table. Yet the bread rolls were left there, there was no question as with the salad, if we want them. And it's such a pity, because I know it's excellent bread, to leave it there to be touched by the birds.

My review from a few months ago. My first visit here after the renovation. The team is excellent. The cooking is very good. The service is quite fast and delivered with a smile. The prices aren't low, but the potions are generous. What amazed me is the salad: first class, as with the fish. Probably the salad was picked earlier that day, it was that fresh.

On a Saturday evening the place was packed. So glad they could have survived the mess with the closing downs.

So do pay them a visit. And don't take chances: make a reservation.

Update: the fish was overcooked. The fries were less dry. The menu is getting shorter. The salad continues to be...

Hospitality and customer orientation is an art which is terribly missing in this restaurant. I arrived today with my mother without reservation, we waited at the entry for around 5m while waiters were just around and no one even looked at us! There was many empty tables so I thought that we could just take a table given the attitude of the staff and their indifference and luck of attention to people waiting at the entry and that my mother who has mobility issue started getting tired. After taking a table we waited for more than 10m and nobody looked at us, i called many waiters many times and finally one of them came to bring the menu. When they found that we had no reservation they said that there was no place empty and that table were already reserved although it was already 14h+!! nobody would come after 14h clearly and we had arrived at 13:45 so their claim is simply not true because their kitchen closes at 14:00.. they said what they had in the kitchen was only enough for customer with reservation as if they knew already what these customers would eat!!. One of them was talking really rude and said that we had to wait at the entry until one of the staff arrived! Well if this is your SOP then you should have one staff dedicated for entry and reception, but leaving customers waiting like this without anybody talking to them is disrespectful to them, to say the least! We left the place and it was the first time ever this happens to me! Les cygnes, learn how to take care of your customers, not just...

Family owned, friendly, and top notch service with a smile. We needed for nothing while we lunched here. The restaurant has a gorgeous terrace ( sadly too cold this time), but the open veranda gives beautiful lake views from any seat. The food tasted so fresh and was delicious. My husband had catch of the day fera with a wild garlic sauce and pumpkin puree. It was divine I had the freshly caught perch with a citrus cream sauce, fries and veggies, it was amazing! So fresh We shared the chocolate delice for desert which was a like nothing i’ve ever had before, lovely if you are a chocolate lover.

Big thanks to the whole staff that had no issue with us letting our 6 month old baby wriggle around the floor. The restaurant is stroller friendly and has changing facilities too.

Little tip: book ahead and ask for a...