Le Foundouk Restaurant & Rooftop — Restaurant in Marrakesh Prefecture

BEWARE OF THIS PLACE! It’s New Year’s Eve and we just came back from being swindled by these people. Our party of three had a good experience at this restaurant two nights prior, we asked what was the situation for New Year’s Eve and they told us very specifically that the menu would be the same à la cart menu as all nights. We pre-paid 900 dirham (approximately €90) toward rereservations for the 3 of us for NYE. Upon arrival, we were given the same menu from two days prior, this time with no prices on it. We we’re told by our waiter/crook that they were doing a pre fixe menu for our prepaid 300 dirham each, including appetizer, main course and dessert. We kept trying to get the waiter to further confirm, but he used the common scam of “no English“ and continued to ramble on in French, which none of us understood. We asked to speak to a manager who spoke English, but the waiter refused. By this time, we were wary, but we had already paid the 900 dirham, plus ordered drinks, so we couldn’t just leave.

After the dinner, when they first brought the final bill, it was correct for what they had quoted, as they were only charging for our drinks. I was very relieved as they had lived up to their word, and I even felt silly for suspecting they might be trying to pull something. Then, suddenly, he took that bill away and came back with another one that was three times higher, charging us 950 dirham per person for dinner, plus the charge of the drinks. I asked other diners at other tables what they were told they were going to be paying, and they agreed with us that they were told the charge would be 300 dirham per person (not 950). We didn’t have any choice but to pay the inflated charge. We don’t like the fact that we were scammed into paying an extra €200 euros, but, as always, it’s not so much about the money as the fact that we were cheated, and that we end up feeling terribly about a place we would have otherwise enjoyed. Maybe they can only get away with this chicanery on holidays like New Year’s, but please be very careful here as they may well have other tricks up...

Let’s start with the good things: The restaurant has a very cozy atmosphere, mostly lit by candles. It’s a very scenic place and you can sit very comfortably. The place itself is quite modern and clean and both the menu for drinks and food are rather extensive.

HOWEVER, We went there for dinner because we heard a lot of good things. Unfortunately, Le Foundouk could not even remotely live up to that. So here’s the negative points from our visit: as a couple, we ended up paying a substantial amount more than the typical bill that we would have when we go out to eat in Amsterdam, having the same amount of food it was so cold inside that we had to keep our jackets on the food itself was rather underwhelming. We had two different starters and two different mains and all of them basically tasted like nothing even though there is a quite large amount of food on the menu, there’s nothing really special or new and lastly what made our experience truly unpleasant: when we paid our bill we stayed seated for a while, waiting for the change to arrive. After a few minutes we had to ask for it and then finally received it. When we received it, we got a „friendly“ hint from the waitress that there was no tip included, only taxes. When we then left the waitress almost run to our table to see if we had left some tip after her friendly reminder and when she saw that we didn’t do so, she gave a sign to her coworkers who didn’t even say goodbye to us

All in all this could be a very nice place for a romantic dinner, but after our visit, we are not at all surprised that the place was only filled for about 15% despite the peak hour...

Finding the perfect spot to relax and enjoy a traditional Moroccan meal in a contemporary space that remains authentic to its location doesn’t have to be difficult. While in Marrakech, dining at Le Foundouk is necessary, as this restaurant incorporates modern décor and a brilliant atmosphere into a building rich with culture and history.

I was really blown away by how well the owners of the restaurant mixed traditional Moroccan style with upscale dining. I opted for dinner on the first floor, which was lit by candles, and nestled in to a truly unique ambience of relaxation and sensory experiences.

I couldn’t have asked for anything more as far as the service, and all my courses were promptly delivered to my table. I even asked about the building’s history, and was gladly told the story of the old garment factory and merchant’s inn that used to occupy the space.

I ordered from the “International” menu, which pairs flavors from all over the word with traditional Moroccan recipes. I started with delicate beetroot pie, made from pan sired foie gras and arugula. So flavorful and with a hint of bitter tang from the greens, this was truly something different.

For my main I opted for a tagine of Monkfish with preserved lemons, served with basmati rice. Light and citrusy, this dish was excellently seasoned and filling. The rise was delicate and tender, and the fish was some of the best I’ve had.

I finished with dessert of the Chef’s Pastilla with chocolate and a prune, an excellent combination of sweet and tart. I can’t wait to enjoy another meal at Le Foundouk, and highly...