Restaurant Le Décanteur — Restaurant in Geneva

EDIT: Changed review to 1 star after the response from the owner, read below my review for clarifications.

Very disappointing. Reserved a table for 18:30 and when we wanted to order food we were informed that we had to leave the table because it was reserved at 20:00 for someone else. No idea why they even reserved a table for us, the place was literally empty at 18:30. Prices are pretty high and the location is noisy outside. Asked for a jug of water got told they don't have any and that we have to go inside to get water ourselves. As for food they only have a handful of dishes, with prices beyond the status of the location in my opinion. Ordered a limoncello for 9 CHF, got a tiny amount.

EDIT: So, regarding that arrogant response from the owner (which I see is their regular attitude looking at the other negative reviews), here are the facts. My girlfriend reserved a table for three people for 6:30 (not that there are any tables for fewer people outside) and no one told her or me there would be any issues. We arrived at that time and as mentioned the place was basically empty and we waited for our friend to arrive at 7 but she was about 20 minutes late. Right before she arrived the waiter came to our table and told us that the table is reserved at 8 and that we have to leave then, despite not telling us anything before. So I went and paid and when our friend arrived we just went to Pizzeria da Paolo and had a nice evening...

We booked for 5 person, ended up being 6. We kindly asked the waiter if we could add a chair on the side of the table. He refused, the proposal unfortunately in an unfriendly way.

We apologized, and informed the waiter we would then release the table as we could not leave the 6th person outside alone.

The owner and the waiter to our surprise started yelling at us in front of everyone saying that we had booked for 5 and that it was not acceptable. The exchange was very agressive, and really not matching our good will to arrange the situation. It made every person uncomfortable, at how dramatic both the owner and the waiter were behaving..

True, it was our fault to come with one person on top. It was a bit complicated to understand how they ended being that angry. Especially because the restaurant was empty, and there was really enough space to add a chair. In any case, you would not expect to be yelled at in a restaurant.

Can’t comment on the food unfortunately.

My suggestion: Being able to cook great food is a delight, being welcoming and professional is a must for a restaurant. You might want to work on the latter.

Happy to come back in 6 months to assess how you have improved the...

Edited after the owner’s reply:

We arrived around 18:45, fully aware that such a small restaurant might already be full. Indeed, it was — and our intention was not to dine without a reservation, but simply to discover the place’s atmosphere for a future visit. Entering quietly and staying a few minutes to appreciate the setting is a harmless gesture of interest, one that often leads to new loyal guests.

Unfortunately, the chef’s manner that evening was unexpectedly cold. Even his young waiter, with disarming honesty, whispered that he was sorry about the situation — which said a lot. A simple “we’d be happy to welcome you on another day” would have turned that moment into a pleasant exchange.

Reading the owner’s formal reply here only reinforces the impression that courtesy and flexibility may not be his strongest points. True hospitality lies not only in respecting reservations but in showing a touch of human warmth. Geneva would truly benefit from an Italian table combining fine cuisine with genuine grace.

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Modifié après la réponse du propriétaire :

Nous sommes arrivés vers 18 h 45, conscients qu’un si petit restaurant pouvait déjà être complet. C’était bien le cas, et notre intention n’était pas de dîner sans réservation, mais simplement de découvrir l’atmosphère du lieu en vue d’une future visite. Entrer calmement et rester quelques minutes pour ressentir l’ambiance est un geste d’intérêt tout à fait inoffensif — souvent le prélude à de futurs clients fidèles.

Malheureusement, l’accueil du chef ce soir-là fut étonnamment froid. Même son jeune serveur, avec une honnêteté touchante, nous a glissé à voix basse qu’il était désolé de la situation — ce qui en dit long. Un simple « revenez volontiers un autre jour » aurait suffi à transformer ce court moment en échange agréable.

La réponse très formelle du propriétaire ici ne fait que renforcer l’impression que la courtoisie et la souplesse ne sont pas ses points forts. La véritable hospitalité ne consiste pas seulement à respecter les réservations, mais à manifester un peu de chaleur humaine. Genève mériterait vraiment une table italienne alliant fine cuisine et véritable...