You cannot come to Monaco without stopping by the legendary Cafe de Paris. The Brasserie at the Café de Paris Monte-Carlo is the most popular venue for a “rendez-vous” in this South of France's royal hotspot. A decor featuring Belle Epoque style windows, recalls the feeling of the old Parisian bistros, creating a bright and friendly atmosphere. This is an ideal place for lunch or dinner, to enjoy the cuisine prepared by Chef Jean-Claude Brugel in a restaurant located in the heart of Monte-Carlo, right next to the renowned Place du Casino.
Outside on the terrace, the Café de Paris Monte-Carlo immerses you in the authentic atmosphere of a Parisian bistro. Discreet and private, the terrace offers you the privilege of being “outside” at any time of the year. Open all year round, from breakfast until late into the night, the terrace bar is the place to savor a wide range of drinks and exotic cocktails in an exceptional ambiance. We arrived at 2pm to a fully packed restaurant both outside and inside and had to wait for couple of minutes to be seated. Choosing to sit in the inner space, a waiter prepared a table for four. This is more of an food industry than a restaurant. Do not expect good service or smiling waiters, just remember that they see thousands of tourists like you every day. While waiting for the menus, we were bothered by a horrible stench. We had no idea where it was coming from until my foot hit a bowl that was under the table. A bowl with water for dogs was left forgotten under the table. Nonchalantly the waiter picked it up with no remorse and casually placed it in the service area where food is placed to be served...
The place:
- A lovely ambiance flows over the terrace
- Water sprays push the heat away
- Choose between the inner or outside seating areas
- A real and authentic Parisian bistro setup and feel
- Well lit and relaxing
- A general white decoration makes you want to stay longer
- A the entrance, cakes are displayed to open your appetite
- The Zodiac signs, built in an artisan glass around the windows add an artistic touch
- Inside are many sections separated by glass facades creating intimate spaces
- All the plates are branded with the house logo
We ordered:
- Salade mixte au Roquefort (Tasteless, lacks seasoning, looks cheap like a homemade salad) 14€
- Tranche d'espaon marine aux herbes, pommes écrasées et courgettes du pays (stingy, faded taste, needed more lemon and the Green beans are too dry) 32€
- Escalope de veau panée, pommes frites (French fries are undercooked, The veal is good but too oily) 33€
Lunch began by the head waiter asking me not to take pictures followed by President butter squares and a basket of bread. We ordered from the super expensive menu and waited... and waited... and waited... before the order came. Prepare yourself to endure slow service.
The overall experience:
- Very slow service
- Waiters are not welcoming
- A great place where you can enjoy the vibes of Monaco
- The food is not good, or the least not up to the price you are paying. Maybe a beer is enough around here
- Lunch ended with complementary cookies and dark chocolate especially prepared for the restaurant
We stayed a few hours in Monaco where we discovered "the address" for food which everyone talks about, as well as had the chance to walk around the the city discovering its most important spots... It was time to move back to Nice where we were staying.
