La Villa Rose Marie

We stopped in for a quick Saturday lunch and were seated outside promptly to enjoy the sun. There’s a covered terrace as well. Service was great, and the food was excellent, homemade, and served in really generous portions, though a little pricier. I’d recommend it if you fancy something different from the usual seafood platters.

For five years, our summer holidays in St-Brevin-Les-Pins have included visits to this restaurant, usually two or three times each summer. We returned this year, trying to book for 11 guests on July 14. I was told they weren’t taking bookings that day, which seemed strange, but I accepted it. We were told to arrive at 6.30pm and queue for the 6.45pm opening. In the end, only five of us came, arriving at 7pm, and we were seated within 15 minutes. About 15 minutes after sitting down, we were politely but firmly pushed to order drinks and food. We ordered three portions of mussels, a cold vegetarian salad, and chicken nuggets for the kids. Then the worst experience we’ve had there began. After waiting 45 minutes, we asked about the food and were told service was slower than usual. We’d ordered by 7.30pm, and by 8.15pm no one had asked if we wanted more drinks. The two tables beside ours got their food while nobody checked on us. At 8.30pm, I went to the toilet. There was one toilet for the whole restaurant, which had easily over 70 guests, and I waited in the long queue. After 25 minutes I was next, worried our food would get cold. Then our eight-year-old son came over sobbing. It was nearly 9pm, and even his food hadn’t arrived, despite the chicken nuggets being the kind you can cook in 20 minutes in a regular oven. I went to the till, where people were paying, and explained what was happening. The response was a disinterested, unsympathetic “we are only humans.” The man at the till showed no interest in understanding what had happened, stopped paying attention, and carried on taking payments. The curly-haired lady gave me a fake “I am so sorry,” with that “guilty puppy” look. When it was time to pay, they offered us €9.50 for our son’s nuggets. My mussels were cold and I hadn’t touched them, but I was still charged full price. We paid €140 for the worst experience we’ve ever had there, with a team that was clearly overwhelmed. Three portions of mussels in one pot should take about 20 minutes, and the same goes for chicken nuggets and salad. When I mentioned that no one had asked if we wanted more drinks, I got a blank look. The same thing happened when I brought up the child’s food. Later, when I pointed out that the neighboring tables had received their full dinners and new guests had arrived, I was told, “it is my fault, i have been running all evening informing guests about the service being slow but i never went to your table.” I’m still trying to work out what that was meant to say. All the goodwill this restaurant had built up with us has been shattered. I’m just glad all 11 of us didn’t come, or I’d have looked like a fool as the only native French speaker trying to help my Irish family enjoy French food. Never again, Villa Rose-Marie. You’ve lost us and our respect for good. I only wish negative stars were possible. EDIT: In response to the reply. To the restaurant, you know there were five of us. You also know the orders were taken all at once, not “au compte gouttes” as you’re claiming. I know humans are behind a business, as I kept hearing when my Irish mother-in-law expressed her displeasure by saying “disgusting.” That is nowhere near an insult. So you keep refusing to own up to your mistakes. You will not change my mind. We are “only humans,” so am I, and you made my eight-year-old son cry while he waited for his food. At least own that.

We stopped in for dinner, though we didn’t stay at the hotel. The food was excellent and the service was great. It’s in a great central location.

The food was very good, service was friendly, and the price was reasonable.