Restaurant Les Armures — Restaurant in Geneva

Don't just turn up and expect a table as this place is very popular, but do pop along and reserve as it is worth it! We did just that and went along at lunch time to look at it and reserved for that evening, we could only have the 7pm slot and had to be out by 8.45pm but at least we got it on the same day! This is the oldest cafe/restaurant in Geneva (so it says) and in the very heart of the old town tucked down the side of the Armoury. We ate outside as it was a lovely evening, well it was the table we were offered, but I noticed it has a pretty large inside dining space for those winter months. I had Swiss onion soup, shared a mixed salad, fondue with potato's, ice cream, martini, and a glass of white wine - it is not cheap so make sure you budget! All was delicious and I left absolutely stuffed so despite its location, history and popularity it serves up high quality, beautifully presented food in sensible portion sizes. Some of the most popular city restaurants serve up such tiny portions (because they can get away with it) you feel you need to pop into a take away afterwards. Not here, my advice is come hungry. My partner had the cold asparagus soup (yeah cold but was really tasty), shared a mixed salad, cold beef with chips, and ice cream (he ordered sorbet but they brought ice cream, he didn't mind), martini, and glass of white wine. If I had one, not true complaint I suppose more observation it is that people smoke everywhere so you do get a whiff throughout your meal. It didn't overly bother me but I would have had a nicer time without it. One table next to us has one smoker and 2 vapours all of which did so at every available moment between courses and sometimes during! As i say I can't say I cared that much as the evening was still and it all headed upwards, I might have been miffed had I been getting it full on. The staff are attentive without being too much, very friendly and happy to suggest food and wine. They all spoke English, although we did speak French so not a problem for us, so book and eat with confidence. The menu had English below so I knew exactly what I was ordering, my reading of French is not good enough for ordering a meal trying to avoid meat! Good place if you are veggie but not so good for a...

A visit to Geneva would be incomplete without a culinary journey to Restaurant Les Armures, a recommendation that came from my hotel concierge and completely exceeded my expectations. The restaurant captivates with its rustic charm, transporting you to a cozy, traditional Swiss haven. The design is beautiful, and the staff is more than happy to make recommendations based on your preferences.

Each dish is a testament to the kitchen's dedication, prepared with a level of care that shines through every bite. For starters, the traditional soup is a revelation. Imagine a rich, savoury broth brimming with vegetables, tender pasta, crispy bacon, and topped with a generous layer of melted Gruyère cheese—it's the kind of dish that warms you from the inside out and sets the stage for an unforgettable meal. This soup is a solid 9/10.

But the absolute star of the show, the dish I’m still dreaming about, was the Zurich-style sliced veal with rösti. The veal was unbelievably tender, draped in a creamy, flavourful sauce that I wanted to savour with every spoonful. Paired with the golden, perfectly crispy rösti potatoes, it was a match made in culinary heaven. It's a classic for a reason, and Les Armures perfects it. Another 9/10 from me.

And just when you think you've had the best, the dessert menu calls to you. The Ovomaltine (Ovaltine) Swiss chocolate mousse is an absolute must-try. It’s light, airy, and intensely chocolatey, a perfect, blissful end to a spectacular meal. It’s a definite 10/10.

I would come more often to try other dishes as they sound enticing and hard to miss out on.

With its excellent food, warm ambiance, and good service, Restaurant Les Armures is more than just a place to eat—it's a destination. I'm already looking forward to my next visit to Geneva, if only to...

TLDR: Too expensive for such food, not to mention the service. We did not feel welcome and the server seemed very annoyed with us. Avoid if you don't speak French or are a foreigner.

The food was ok, but nothing special. The service is terrible. The waiter did not give any advice, no explanations. He didn't ask about which side dishes we wanted that I thought were included with the entrees, even though the menu made it seem like there were different options. We ordered a portion of beef tartare, thinking that by default they would bring us a small one (there were 2 prices on the menu). The waiter did not think it necessary to clarify and when he brought the check, it turned out that we had to pay 40 francs instead of 28. When asked about it, he responded very matter-of-factly "you asked for 1 beef tartare so I brought you 1 beef tartare. If you had said '1 small beef tartare' I would've brought you the small one" -- he couldn't have clarified or asked??? I think Chat-GPT would provide better customer service.

The service itself is also very slow. We waited half an hour for the juice to be brought, then another half an hour for the food to be brought. The waiter never came up to us or asked if everything was okay. We waited for the check for another half hour. They brought it after I got up and asked another waiter for the check. When the waiter came by to collect our plates, one person in our party didn't eat most of his dish and the waiter didn't even mention anything or check if it...