Brasserie Lipp — Restaurant in Geneva

Usually go to this place for their mussels. This time was unfortunately disappointed with the experience. We came in, notifying the hostess that it was one of our birthdays. She asked me discreetly if they should add a candle to my co-diners dessert to which I agreed. I appreciated the gesture, but in the end, no candle. That's okay, no big deal. The bigger problem was when we ordered the mixed sashimi and the salmon had a distinct off smell and taste. We called over the waiter and explained that the fish was off. (My co-diner's voice can be quite loud, so maybe it was mistakenly perceived as hostile.) They proceeded to challenge us, saying that we could just say so if we didn't like the dish. We explained that no, we did usually like dishes like this, the fish was just spoiled. They continued insisting the fish was fresh, then called the manager over who began arguing with me saying the fish was freshly delivered. I tried to de-escalate the situation saying I understood it may not be their fault that the fish was not fresh, but could have been a problem with their supplier. He said they had served that dish and received no complaints earlier in the day. In an irritated tone the manager said that if we ordered the same dish, we would get the same fish. I said okay and asked for another order of mussels instead. The conversation could have been much briefer if, instead of challenging us, the waiter simply apologized and offered us the menu again to order something else. The hostile interaction was absolutely unnecessary, we were not there to create problems. In the end, I do not think we will be coming back here, despite the delicious mussels. UPDATE: received an email saying they supposedly 'disciplined' the manager who was on duty that day and offered us a free drink/dessert for taking down/amending this review as this would 'give them a bad reputation'. Using the contact info of your customers to contact them after they've already left, especially to ask them to take down a review of a negative experience is not...

This was our second visit to Lipp during our time in Geneva. For the first visit we were pleased with everything about our meal, the service and the atmosphere. In comparison, our second visit was a disappointment.

The restaurant was virtually empty, but we felt that we were being rushed through the whole experience. And indeed, we were in and out in an hour. I expect a more relaxed pace for a meal that cost CHF 200.

My husband’s meal wasn’t hot enough and his mashed potatoes were watery.

In a nearly empty restaurant, our service was mechanical and impersonal. No chit-chat or friendly banter. Take the order, get the food on the table, job done.

Finally, the wine. On our first visit, we ordered St. Joseph at a menu price of CHF 79. After we left, a more thorough look at the bill showed that we were charged CHF 98. The next day we returned and spoke with the person at the reception desk. She explained that there are two St. Joseph wines on the menu, one for 79 and the other for 98. We accepted that. On our second visit, we ordered St. Joseph again and double-checked that there was only one on the menu for CHF 79. Our bill again charged us CHF 98. Could two different wait staffers on two different nights make exactly the same mistake? Could we have accidentally been given menus that were incorrect on two different nights? We felt not only disappointed...

Sadly, the mussels spoiled an otherwise good meal. A real shame, as I was looking forward to them. Given the unacceptably poor quality of the main (which I didn’t finish) I can’t give more than a 2 based on this experience.

Negatives:

Mussels: I ordered the large pot. While the sauce was tasty (perfect for dipping bread) the quality of the mussels was very poor. Many were extremely small, some no larger than a pea, which meant there was little flavour or texture to enjoy. The sauce and accompanying vegetables ended up overpowering what little mussel meat there was.

Positives:

Atmosphere: The restaurant had a lovely, warm ambiance (neither too noisy nor too quiet). Indoor seating was cozy, and there’s also outdoor seating available, weather permitting.

Service: My waiter was very friendly and attentive. He had a lovely personality and you could tell he cared. However, I would have appreciated a small gesture of goodwill, especially since the muscles were very poor quality. If you order something else I’m sure you’ll have a good experience

Beef Tartare: This was a standout dish - flavorful, well-prepared, and something I’d...