La Brasserie du Grand-Chêne

We booked a table at La Brasserie du Grand-Chêne to celebrate my best friend’s birthday, expecting a minimum level of competence from a restaurant operating inside 5 star Lausanne Palace. What we experienced was one of the worst restaurant services I’ve ever had. The atmosphere looks nice and the smell from the kitchen is misleadingly good unfortunately, that’s where the positives end. We ordered escargots and two steaks, clearly specifying medium rare. We then waited more than one hour just to receive the starter. The escargots were swimming in oil, heavy, unpleasant, and frankly bad. When the waiter asked how it was, we clearly said we didn’t like it and hoped the main course would be better. There was absolutely no reaction, no apology, no concern as if customer feedback simply doesn’t matter. We then waited another thirty minutes for the main course. I asked the waiter several times about the delay and each time got the same careless “ça arrive,” repeated again and again, without a single apology for an absurd waiting time. When the steaks finally arrived, they were completely ruined. We asked for medium rare and received meat so dry and overcooked it was barely edible. I called the waiter to explain, but before I could even finish speaking, she took my plate away, which is unbelievably disrespectful and unprofessional. Ten minutes later, she came back with no plate and simply said the kitchen was closed. Closing the kitchen is not an excuse for incompetence, and the plate should never have been taken without checking first. I was left without a main course, on my best friend’s birthday, after waiting close to two hours. Dessert was offered, which is frankly insulting. I don’t eat sweets and, more importantly, I was still hungry because I had received no meal. I asked for mayonnaise for the fries instead and even that was never brought. I then spoke to the manager, Thibault, hoping for at least a professional response. His answer was, “What can I do? My kitchen is closed.” No apology. No accountability. No empathy. Just a dismissive attitude that clearly shows a complete lack of respect for customers. This place relies entirely on its location and reputation, not on service, food quality, or professionalism. For a restaurant of this price range and prestige, this level of incompetence is unacceptable. They completely ruined what was supposed to be a birthday celebration. I will never come back, and I strongly advise others to lower their expectations dramatically or go elsewhere.

The food was great, but the real star of the night was Enzo and his out-of-this-world service! Honestly, THE BEST SERVICE EVER! Watching him create the perfect crepe was pure magic—I told him I’m making him a superstar by sharing a video of his incredible skills. Stay tuned, because Enzo deserves all the spotlight!

I have travelled the world extensively over 40 years. I ate at all restaurants ranging from pop & mom’s to Michelin three stars. This is my honest review of the restaurant Brasserie Grand-Chêne inside the Lausanne Palace Hotel. This is a beautiful brasserie with lots of wood. It exists since 1950’s and saw many celebrities going there as evidenced by name plates and pictures. The food is very high quality French brasserie style. The turbot fish I had was well prepared and cooked and the sides were good as were other guests’ (perch fillets; octopus). They also prepared upon my request an off-menu berries & fruits salad. Service was generally kind and proactive. They are famous also for their seafood platters.

We went for lunch to celebrate my wife’s birthday and had such a great time. Pedro was our waiter and he made the whole experience amazing. He was attentive, friendly, and made sure everything was perfect. Thank you for making the day extra special

I had the pleasure of celebrating my wife's birthday at Brasserie Grand Chêne, and it was an unforgettable experience. The ambiance was delightful, and the food was exceptional. As we were finishing our meal, the staff surprised us with a beautifully prepared birthday plaque and candle, accompanied by a heartfelt rendition of the birthday song. This thoughtful gesture made our day even more special. The service was impeccable, and the attention to detail was truly appreciated. Thank you to the wonderful team at Brasserie Grand Chêne for making my wife's birthday so memorable. Highly recommend!