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Aux Lyonnais
Aux Lyonnais Review
With a passion for the old-fashioned bistro, Alain Ducasse resurrected this 1890s gem by appointing a terrific young chef to oversee the short, frequently changing, and reliably delicious menu of Lyonnais specialties. Dandelion salad with crisp potatoes, bacon, and a poached egg; watercress soup poured over parsleyed frogs' legs; and fluffy quenelles de brochet (pike-perch dumplings) show he is no bistro dilettante. The decor hews to tradition, too, with a zinc bar, an antique coffee machine, and original turn-of-the-20th-century woodwork. There's a limited-choice lunch menu for €28, but the cacophonous dining room is jammed with traders from nearby Bourse. Tables turn relatively quickly, so despite the gorgeous setting this is not a spot for a romantic meal.
- Address: 32 rue St-Marc, 2e, Opéra/Grands Boulevards, Paris, 75002 | Map It
- Phone: 01--42--96--65--04
- Website: www.auxlyonnais.com
- Metro Bourse.
- Location: Les Grands Boulevards
Contact Information
- Credit cards accepted.
- Closed Sun., Mon., and 3 wks in Aug. No lunch Sat.
Restaurant Details
Member Reviews
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LuluPetunia, from New York / Paris
Both the food and the setting of this Alain Ducasse resto were what one expects: quite good. Dinner for two with a bottle of wine was 110 euros, which fits the brand-name of the ‘chef’.
However, the service ABSOLUTELY RUINED a potentially very good restaurant. Literally as I was taking my sweater off the waiter wanted us to order an apero. We noticed the same at other tables. Within five minutes of us looking at the menu, three different waiters tried to get us to order. The wine list isn't long, and choices aren't particularly broad, but it should be a pleasure to linger over what will complement your meal. When the third waiter - within that five minute timeframe - asked us to order, my husband said we're looking at the wine list. The waiter said we should order the food and then he could come back for the wine. We did so ( it makes me angry that we adhered to his rushed pushiness) and then were served within minutes before even getting to order the wine. I won't bang on about it further, but all the way through to the coffee and dessert the service was equally aggressive, and rushed.
We live in Paris and eat out often. The complaint in general is that service here doesn't want to be bothered with serving. Perhaps we've lived here for too many years, because we do like to be able to finish our starter before having our main course served.
A shame as the food was quite good and the 19th century moulded ceilings adorable. But we certainly won't be going back. Thumbs down. -
Elia, from New York
We were absolutely dissapointed with the food at this restaurant. Everything we ordered went from ordinary to bland to plain awful. My husband was served something that I can only describe as a thick piece of fatty bacon. I believe the prior chef at this restaurant is now at Benoit, so that may explain why the food has seemingly taken a nosedive. Do yourself a favor and DO NOT EAT HERE. If you want a truly great dining experience, with excellent and friendly service (not to mention a prime view of the Eiffel Tower), make a reservation at Au Bon Accueil, you won't be dissapointed.
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Peter16, from San Jose, CA
This restaurant focuses on the cuisines of Lyon and was very rural in it's approach. There were none of the fancy little spoons and service pieces, it was quite rustic but extremely good. The Eggs cooked in cream with mushrooms were very warm and filling, I had the braised pork which I loved and my wife had some fresh fish which was also wonderful. I do think the set up for the dining romm is a little difficult as the tables are quite close together and it's a very small dining room, but the food was great, the service was very good and it was a very nice meal.
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RJD, from Albany, NY
We dropped in on a rainy day, not expecting much. We were warmly greeted and made comfortable, even though we ordered the prix fixe. The food was excellent, done with care and an eye to how things ought to taste, and the atmosphere, sophisticated bistro, was pleasant. We got a reasonable recommendation on a bottle of white. We left happy.
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danuta, from France
The rstaurant itself is supposed to be old and exeptionelle. And it's not at all! Most of the tables are situated in a very unconvenient way( just come over, you'll see!).We paid 85 euro for two: we both stayed hungry. My hasband took a menu for 28 euro, the starter was not bad, but his main course (quenelle...) was just horrible: it was absolutely nothing to eat! It was an omelette and two tiny wormes called languistinos (beleive me i've eat real languistinos; those were just born babies).By the way this platter by itself cost about 23 euro! I ordered the duck, which was not so bad, only it was no any side dish and it was not cooked well. For the dessert my huband got a plate of sweet rise!
We took 35cl. of red one for 26 euro (it was no other choice). It was good. And a bottle of water. 85 euro for below ordinary meal...I recommend everybody Le Grand Colbert: the best brasserie in the center of Paris, and may be the whole Paris: same prise (or a bit less): exellent food, beautifull atmosphere! -
Biztrav, from New York, USA
Service and atmosphere were the highlights, being well done and warm respectively. The food was poorly prepared, with undercooked poultry, stringy asparagus, off-putting presentations, and uniformly mediocre accompanying vegetable mixtures. Given the mix of relatively high prices and low quality, the value was nil. A rare culinary disaster in a city of culinary delights.
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PNMLAW, from Philadelphia, PA
My family and I arrived at Aux Lyonnais on March 27, 2007 after several metro transfers and a stiff walk in the rain. Cold and wet, we were denied entry by the rude service, who denied that we had a reservation. However, we had a reservation we could see it in the book (our name and party number) that we had confirmed from the United States in writing by fax. The staff denied the restaurant had a fax machine, even though it could be seen from the door. We had also called from our hotel and confirmed the reservation. The rude staff thinking that I could not understand their French stated they could not stand translating the menu for another British citizen (were American). When I challenged him on this issue, he began to pretend he could not understand our French, and denied us a seat in the nearly empty restaurant. We were then told to leave by the snickering staff, who clearly saw it as a game. We are used to charming bad service in France, and have traveled all over the world we are experienced travelers. Our experience at Aux Lyonnais was unimaginable, and the worst Ive had anywhere. I would never eat at this restaurant.
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