France

Best and worst restaurants:

Worst: L'Alliance (Amboise)
Why: Service was terrible -- extremely slow, it felt as though we were being ignored most of the evening (yes, we had made reservations). It was nearly 40 minutes before a waiter even approached our table, close to an hour before we had even a drop of water or a piece of bread on the table. Our meals, once they arrived, were unimpressive (not that I'm a carnivore, but the pork dish I ordered had barely an ounce and a half of meat in it). Another very long wait to get the check so we could leave. It was impossible to make eye contact with the waiters and waitresses. I don't think anyone specific was even assigned to our table; every now and then a different waiter or waitress took pity on us.

Marian Ziegler in Drums, PA USA 06/26/2008

Best: L'Epicerie, Amboise
Why: Best meal of our 14 day trip around northern and central France.

Karen Snyder in Parsippany, NJ USA 05/24/2008

Best: La Fringale, Bayeux
Why: Good food, friendly helpful staff, good prices

travelfan in Washington, DC USA 05/10/2008

Best: Le Parvis
Why: Just exceptional atmosphere and the best of the typical local cuisine meals in Amboise in our opinion.

Harold Erath in New Orleans, LA USA 04/26/2008

Best: Café la Roussillon in Rue Cler, Paris
Why: France 2008 states that this café serves a “good American-style breakfast.” We preferred to stand at the bar and have our petit dejeuner (café crème or chocolat and croissants) with the locals. On our second visit the bartender remembered our order!

Linda Durfee & Paul Henneberger in Morgantown, WV USA & Barcelona, Spain 04/20/2008

Best: any
Why: every restaurant I ate in France was good. It's just expensive.

Elaine Cheng in Downers Grove, IL USA 04/05/2008

Best: L'Auberge du Grand Puits
Why: Three of us travelling together really enjoyed the food at L'Auberge de Grands Puits in Carcassonne. My teen son and I shared the cassoulet and a teen friend had tuna, all of which were terrific. The cassoulet had a large portion of tasty duck and sausage and was more than enough for my son and I. The entree was great too, as was the bread. Unfortunately, when we returned to eat there Frri. night, the place was closed, likely because it was Good Friday. I had cassoulet again at another restaurant but it wasn't as good as as Grands Puits.

Elizabeth in Sable River, NS Canada 04/03/2008

Best: Le Bosquet
Why: The atmosphere was relaxing, service was impeccable, the waiters were very pleasant, the meals were a great value. I had the biggest cup of cafe creme here of our entire visit!

Worst: Cafe du la March
Why: Service was very poor. I expected the slower pace of French dining - but on both occasions that we went here for dinner, we waited an obscene amount of time for service. On our second and last visit - I paid for our drinks and left - never even having dinner. After that experience, we never returned.

Bridget Zappa in Mendota Heights, MN USA 03/24/2008

Best: Le Pommier in Bayeux
Why: This was a great place with a gracious host and wonderful food.

Worst: The worst meal was in Lourdes
Why: Our worst meal was a pizza restaurant in Lourdes. It was not recommended by you.

Yvonne Jahnke in Oconomowoc, WI USA 03/24/2008

Best: L'Ecluse, in Amboise,
Why: Fantastic food and a wonderful host, the table next to us were from none other than a Rick Steves tour!

Liz Thompson in Ridgefield, wa USA 02/04/2008

Best: Restaurant Fouerriere Lyon
Why: View and food were great!

Marina in Honolulu, USA 12/31/2007

Best: La Paella Real
Why: They came out with the pan of paella cooked and mixed the ingredients we ordered in front of us and served us. very good service as well as excellent paella!

k. moy in san francisco, ca USA 12/23/2007

Best: A recommendation for you
Why: In Paris the Vieux Bistro near Notre Dame is terrific. YOu would think that a bistro located in such a touristy spot would be marginal; however, several people recommended it before my departure, and their recommendations were correct.

Susan Gibb in Santa Ana, CA USA 11/02/2007

Best: Restaurant in Hotel la Roseraie
Why: Charming dining room, excellent service, and outstanding food.

Joanna Olmstead in Anacortes, WA USA 10/07/2007

Best: Acchiardo.s in Nice
Why: Menu is varied, food excellent, and prices reasonable. Charming atmosphere and excellent service. We ate there three times!

Joanna Olmstead in Anacortes, WA USA 10/07/2007

Best: Le Charlemagne in Pernand Vergelesses & Le Caves Madeline and L'Auberge Bourguifnonne in Beaunne
Why: The French chef studied in Japan for three years so the food is French with an Asian infusion. It was excellent. The restaurant received a Michelin star last year and they deserve it. The best meal and service we have ever had. Le Caves Madeline was also great and L'Auberge Bourguignonne was good. We were there in August and reservations at least a day in advance were a must.

Cindy Bonney in Fox Island, WA USA 09/22/2007

Best: Cafe du Marche
Why: Great Value. Excellent food. Loved the cafe atmosphere!

Martha Brice in Bratislava, Slovakia 09/20/2007

Best: Le P'Tit Troquet in Paris
Why: Delicious food, excellent personal service, beautiful little cafe, wonderful ambiance, non-smoking. One of the best meals we had in France.

Worst: Plein Sud in Arles
Why: It wasn't recommended, but we want to warn people about it. We both got food poisoning.

Kathy Healy in Manhattan Beach, CA USA 09/17/2007

Best: Le Florimond
Why: Absolutely fabulous - food and service. Not cheap but worth it. I had five different menus and all of them were wonderful.

Russell Smart in Greenville, SC USA 09/11/2007

Best: Tribecca (Paris, Rue Cler)
Why: A varied menu, VERY reasonably priced and the food was fabulous and quite creative. (I had a home made linguini over fresh argula leaves with slivers of chorizo). At the same time, they were totally non-plussed about providing a bowl of totally plain penne for our 8yr old son. Service was quite fast and they kept refilling our water carafe without being asked. We could tell it was a neighborhood favorite. (Added plus - on the diagonal corner is a fabulous patisserie to get dessert).

M. Weber in Merion, PA USA 09/05/2007

Best: La Caleche, Chamonix
Why: Great menu, huge selection. We ate there a couple of nights. We especially liked their regional dishes.

Kathy and Mark Kelsey in Santa Clara, CA USA 08/08/2007

Best: Chateau de I'lsle-Marie Normandy
Why: We were lucky enough to enjoy the table d'hote twice during our stay here in July. They had a excellent chef in residence who served us two outstanding 5 course meals in the origianl Chateau. Also very good were Le Pommier & Le Petit Normand, both in Bayeux.

Jim in Marietta, Ga USA 07/23/2007

Best: L'Enoteca - Paris Marais
Why: Good service, delicious food, especially when we were ready to try something other than French food.

Worst: none
Why: Every recommended restaurant we tried was great!

Heather Wills in Dallas, TX USA 07/18/2007

Best: La Ruelle on Av. repulique,st,jean du luz
Why: good food and prices;good mix of entrees-excellent paella;

ANDREW FORSTER in CORAL AGBLES, FL USA 07/16/2007

Best: Le Pommier, Bayeux
Why: The best meal of my trip to Europe. Wait staff was very friendly and helpful, and the food was delicious.

Worst: Latin Quarter Restaurants, Paris
Why: Too many restaurants trying to drag you in to over charge you for an extremely average meal.

P. in Jones, GA USA 06/29/2007

Best: most of the restaurants in the rue clare area
Why: great food, always fresh, lovely . pretty good prices considering the value of the USD.

madeline hanrath in gretna, la USA 06/29/2007

Best: L'Ecluse in Amboise
Why: Quiet, peaceful setting with polite and unhurried service. Delicious food - different menu and best food that I ate in France.

Worst: Les Tables de la Fontaine in Paris
Why: Don't really know what the food or service was like because we were "kicked out". We didn't understand the reason but we just heard "reserve" with no offer of another table. We think it was because we sat at a table for four.

Lynda Pyzer in Kenora, ON Canada 06/21/2007

Best: Copacabana in Collioure
Why: Amazing million $ view and good food and wine.

Julie Nelson in Calgary, AB Canada 06/17/2007

Best: none
Why: Our best dinner was at Le Cheval Rouge in Villandry, which isn't in your book. We stopped there because there was nothing else open in the whole area on Pentecost Sunday and were surprised to find wonderful food. This is also a hotel which should be checked out.

Worst: Bofinger, Paris
Why: Way overpriced for just OK food.

Carolyn & Daniel Manrique in Tucson, AZ USA 06/17/2007

Best: Chez Pierrot
Why: I have to disagree with Judy L.in Oklahoma City. The food and service here were on par with other good restaurants in the area (ate there 5/24/07). The restaurant even called Galeries Lafayette for us to see if they would be open for shopping after we finished dinner. "Slow service" is relative to one's expectations. I have not had a meal in Paris that took less than two hours - good food is cooked fresh and to order. Possibly they had an off night, but I wouldn't pass this place up. If you have a bigger appetite they feature larger portions than usual. Try the Beef Bourguignon!

Peter in Hamilton, NJ USA 05/29/2007

Best: Cafe de l/Esplanade
Why: Ambience, food and service. The whole package. Our best evening in Paris. The car collection in the valet parking out front was fun to see too. Lots of Maseratis and Lambourghinis (sp ?).

Worst: Chez Pierrot, 9 Rue Amelie, Paris
Why: Slow, surly service and marginal food. Two different tables of Rick Steves readers got up and left rather than stay and take the abuse. We wish we had done the same. It was terrible.

Judy L. in Oklahoma City, OK USA 05/17/2007

Best: Auberge de Launay, Limeray
Why: The food was great, and service exceptional. The dining room was charming and had views of the garden. Plus it was completely smoke free so that we could dine in comfort and enjoy the food. We were however somewhat disappointed with the hotel rooms here and see why they were not recommended in your book.

Judy A. Vosburgh in Atascadero, CA United States 05/15/2007

Worst: L'Auberge du Grand Puits
Why: The fries were soggy and soaked with oil. The bread was horrible. The grilled meats were overdone and dry.

Chang in San Francisco, CA USA 05/08/2007

Best: Le Petite Normand, Bayeux
Why: Great menu, excellent food, cordial wait staff.

Beth Swanberg in Bloomington, Mn USA 04/28/2007

Best: Le Parvis
Why: Good price and courteous services.

Chang in San Francisco, CA USA 04/27/2007

Best: Domaine de la Giraudiere, Vallandry, Loire Valley
Why: Lovely rural setting in outdoor courtyard perfect setting for a warm sunny afternoon meal, excellent food, animals to interest children and adults alike

Worst: Le Bouilland Normand, Honfleur
Why: Cider not on menu, mussels sandy,tarte tatin burned on bottom, sardine starter had appearance and texture of catfood, waitress unfriendly though it was not busy, T-bar ceiling tiles tacky

Richard Frank in Toronto, On Canada 04/26/2007

Best: l'Atelier de Jen-Luc Rabanel
Why: Outstanding food, unique, artistically presented, friendly and helpful waiter. We disagree with your assessment of the interior: it is sleek and modern, but quite attractive, with fresh rose on each table, candles, understated. Best dinner of our trip, and probably best we've had for several years anywhere. Pricey but well worth it.

Robert Whitson in Auburn, CA USA 04/08/2007

Worst: La 'Rotisserie' in Mont St. Michele
Why: Not sure you recommended it - we just stopped. Not worth the pain - no English - not gracious - never asked how things were. Surly is the right word.

Carl Scheider in Woodbury, MN USA 04/06/2007

Best: All
Why: When we followed the guidebook we had good results and when we didn't, we didn't. Outside of Paris, we often found that sites would close at six and restaurants did not open until seven, so several times we wound up wandering looking for food or something to do (in Pontorson, Amboise, etc).

Seth Resler in Providence, RI USA 02/25/2007

Best: Ma Bourgogne
Why: great food, great location and we were able to watch a riot while we ate

Worst: for the price? Bofinger
Why: it was the most expensive meal we had in France but by no means the best.

Calvin Hilton in Jacksonville, FL USA 12/26/2006

Best: Amorino Gelato, Ile St. Louis, Paris
Why: Just the way they put the gelato on the cone is a work of art. The gelato was as good as any I had in Italy.

suzanne krueger USA 12/07/2006

Best: Cafe La Bellevue in L'Isle Sur La Sorgue
Why: Excellant food and service. Sitting on the sorgue with ducks swimming around. Enjoyed the restaurant so much that we went back a second time.

Jack & Sieni Page in Phoenix, Az USA 12/06/2006

Best: Le Jardin de la Tour, Carcassonne
Why: Great food, great music and ambience. An evening we'll remember for a long time.

Worst: La Caleche Restaurant, Chamonix
Why: The food was almost inedible. We were there near the end of September, so perhaps the chef had left early for her/his vacation. We have traveled with Rick's books for 15 years/9 trips--and this was the first bad meal from one of his suggested restaurants!

Judith Murphy in San Diego, CA USA 12/04/2006

Best: Les Cordellaire in Condom, along the Baise River
Why: The restaurant is expensive but the setting is magnificent. It's in a restored chapel and tables spaced far apart. Not the usual food selections.

Sally Griffin in Chevy Chase, MD USA 11/21/2006

Best: Auberge Bourginon, Beaune, France
Why: We expected a solid meal and good value but our meals were better than expected and the cheese selection world class. Service and hospitality were fabulous.

Worst: Kruteneau, Colmar
Why: Host must have had a bad day-he was rude, wasn't willing to discuss the difference in beer specials and tartes flambe were undercooked.

George Werner in Pittsburgh, PA USA 11/04/2006

Best: Lyon:Eating: Vieux Lyon: Restaurant Panoramique de la Fourviere.
Why: My service was very prompt and it was one of the best meals that I had in Lyon. A salad with smoked duck, foie gras that melted in my mouth, and chicken gizzards prepared in some unimaginable way (they were tender!) followed by a rum baba with blueberries and mint. My expectations were low for a place so clearly in a tourist location. I was very plesantly surprised. This was the best meal of the trip, even compared to a very fancy banquet hosted by my business colleagues.

Worst: Restaurant main dishes in general
Why: I ate at many typical Lyon bouchons. I found the taste of the main dishes in the daily menu were universaly average. The entrees and deserts were, however, universaly wonderful. I doubly endorse the recommendation of sticking with entrees, even if the ala carte salad desert selection is the same or higher cost than the menu.

Gary Johnson in Livermore, CA USA 10/21/2006

Best: Le Saint-Louis, Dinan
Why: Wonderful food & service, cozy side-street location in Dinan, Brittany. Old stone-and-wood interior with big fireplace. Chef's specialty is chocolate desserts. Dinan is a very well-preserved old walled town full of interesting places along narrow, winding cobblestone streets. Many old crooked medieval houses still standing. A very charming place to spend a night or two in Brittany.

Tom Duffy in Northbrook, IL USA 10/14/2006

Best: Le Bouillon Normand in Honfleur and Hotel la Roserie in Chenonceau
Why: The food at both these places was incredible and the presentation was picture perfect. We took pictures of all our memorable meals and the pictures alone bring back the memory of these delicious feasts. Laurent and Sophie at la Roserie truly do spoil you, as Rick says in the book, with both the serving of meals and accomodations.

Worst: Food options outside of Mont-St Michel
Why: We did not have good luck finding a place to eat off of the island. It may have been because of the lateness of the season, but many places were closed. Would definitely recommend a trip to the grocery store for an evening meal picnic.

Hal and Karen Phillips in Edgewood, WA USA 10/13/2006

Best: Chez Plumeau in Paris
Why: Beutiful Montmarte location, ate outside, good food

Margaret Hansen in Silver Spring, MD USA 10/06/2006

Worst: Hotel la Vieille Auberge
Why: Food was mediocre at best. My wifes chicken was not done and tasted like it had been sitting around without refrigeration for a couple of days.

Bradley Nelson in Renton, WA USA 09/01/2006

Best: L'Epicerie in Amboise
Why: Fantastic food, the best we had in France. Service and decor are good, but the meals and cheese board and affordable wines were superb.

Summers Henderson in Somverville, MA USA 08/18/2006

Best: the restaurant in the Hotel la Post in Vezelay
Why: grat selection at affordable prices. Made you feel like you were waiting for Bogarat and Becall to arrive. Wait staff was incredabile, food great.

Worst: Bougainville in Vezelay
Why: Not as good as it should have. Mediocore at best.

larry in shurtz, ca USA 08/16/2006

Worst: La Mere Poulard, Mont St. Michel, Normandy
Why: The food was just so-so and very expensive. My friend had one of their famous omelettes. It left her underwhelmed.

Lisa Valle IL USA 08/01/2006

Best: Bryn de Thym, Arles
Why: Charming, fun, great food, pleasant atmosphere.

Dr. Wendy C. Kasten in Kent, OH USA 08/01/2006

Best: many. cafes on ste michael near our hotel. most cafes not located near a major tourist attrraction however..
Why: i loved being able to eat on balconies, outside, at the louve and orsay museums. and we enjoyed cafe food at an unbrella table at the orsay museum and sandwiches and the best ice cream i've ever had at the louve.

Worst: souflett cafe......
Why: the only surly waiter we found. i ordered omlette w/ham, cheese and potato...potatoe old, dried out, should have been dumped. brought bottled water in spite of us being clear we wanted tap water..we'd ordered other drinks, so no excuse. place not that busy, but food very tardy. egg on top of croque madame..not completely cooked. we didn't go back.

sharon hussey in antioch, ca USA 07/09/2006

Best: Le Petit Normand
Why: Reasonably priced for very good food.

Les Share in Miami, FL USA 07/08/2006

Best: L'Auberge de Launay-Amboise/Cafe Constant - Paris
Why: In both cases, outstanding service and food.

Jim in Fort Lauderdale, FL USA 06/26/2006

Best: Le Eucalyptus
Why: Best magret de canard I've ever had in a country that does duck like nowhere else. Located in the Normandy countryside north of the Ste. Mere-Eglise - Ravenoville connector. On the D269 I believe.

Roger M in Portland, OR USA 06/04/2006

Best:
Why: La Terrasse du 7eme,Ulysee en Gaule, Thoumieux and La Varangue in the Pris rue Cler area were all excellent. We loved La Caleche in Chammonix and Le Freti in Annecy has awesome fondue and raclette. Hotel la Roseraie in Chenonceaux was a wonderful dining experience and L'Ousteau de l'Isle in Isle-sur-la-Sorgue also has excellent menu choices - all very good.

jack & Jean Christensen in Fort Dodge, IA USA 05/27/2006

Best: Terra Nera, Paris
Why: Near the Pantheon. Small, quaint, wonderful service and everything is fresh and homemade. Fabulous pasta and fish. This was our favorite meal in Paris.

mary in santa barbara, ca USA 04/26/2006

Best: Cafe Du Marche
Why: Fun location. Nice wait staff even though it was really busy. We met people from all over the world here. The Food was well prepared and very typically French! One of our Favorite Meals

KDHJ in San Francisco, CA USA 04/20/2006

Best: L'Oustau de L'Isle in L'Isle sur la Sorgue
Why: 4 of us ate at this lovely farmhouse outside of Town(1km)out of desperation-you know, the hungry by 7:00 Americans,and were a little worried that no one else was there(until the locals poured in around 8-ish)What a find!!Best meal in Francefor two nights in a row.Why mess with a good thing when you've found the best?We weren't dissappointed either night.The owner and husband were wonderful as well as wait staff.We'll dream of those meals for years to come.

stephanie cambridge in Berwick, Me USA 04/13/2006