Au Chat Noir — Restaurant in Lausanne

The rating of 1 is an average of good food and terrible service.

We arrived shortly after the restaurant opened, before it got busy. After we were seated, we were effectively ignored for 15 minutes. Not a "hello" from any waiter. Nobody came. No indication that service would be slow, or suboptimal.

We finally managed to order, and it took 1 hour before anything at all arrived, including bread or amuse-bouche. We had planned to order dessert but opted to leave and finish our dinner elsewhere. The table next to us was equally hungry: the lady gestured that she was going to eat her hands!

Food and wine were good. Service was horrible. Here is another example. At some point a waitress hurriedly rearranged the tables behind us. She carelessly moved a square table, whose corner went straight through the soft back of my chair and into my back. Unbelievable. Not a word from her.

70 CHF per person for one course and a bottle of wine, shared amongst 4.

I was curious about the restaurant,...

We were recommended this restaurant by another nearby which had mislaid our booking for my birthday and was full. The board which we assumed was the day's four specials turned out to be all they had, so the choice was limited. There was no menu as such, only a board on a nearby table and when we tried to look over at it, the people at the table looked scandalised, as if we were trying to see what they were doing, rather than simply see what was on sale. Not a very welcoming experience. My meal was quite good, nothing to rave about, but one of the other people with me found the food to be average, and the other hated it. The price tag was extortionate. All in all, a very disappointing evening. I often pass by, but I would never eat here again. There are many other restaurants in town with much better quality food and much...

This is in institution of Lausanne foodie scene and it took me almost two decade to push the door. Indeed, there were too many enthusiastic recommendation from friends and, very much like a movie you build too much anticipation for, I always feared to be disappointed. And then one night, unplanned, I went with my family and yes a high expectation. But I was blown away. First the service, transporting you to a Paris atmosphere, with great recommendations and anecdotes making you feel at ease. The menu, always in season, guaranteeing prime freshness and quality of produce. And of course the food… everything was wow… so much that I stopped taking picture after the first course as I was enjoying my time too much. Will I go back now?...