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Hours
Sun
12:00 - 13:3019:00 - 21:00
Mon
12:00 - 13:3019:00 - 21:00
Tue
12:00 - 13:3019:00 - 21:00
Wed
12:00 - 13:3019:00 - 21:00
Thu
12:00 - 13:3019:00 - 21:00
Fri
12:00 - 14:0019:00 - 21:30
Sat
12:00 - 14:0019:00 - 21:30
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Ratings and reviews
RATINGS
Food
Service
Value
Atmosphere
Details
Someone from this business manages this listing.
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PRICE RANGE
€15.00 – €45.00
CUISINES
French, European, Contemporary, Healthy, Gastropub
Special Diets
Vegetarian friendly
meals, features
Does this restaurant allow dogs or considered pet friendly?
Details
About
Au cœur d'intra-muros, une authentique bâtisse du XVII e siècle abrite le Restaurant l'Absinthe qui vous accueille midi et soir dans un espace étagé à la décoration chic et contemporaine aux ambiances différentes. Le restaurant l'Absinthe vous surprendra avec une cuisine très fine et pleine d'audace, sublimant les produits locaux. Les plats traditionnels en deviennent magnifiés par des notes et un savoir faire de grande qualité. Les assiettes deviennent de véritables oeuvres d'art et le plaisir visuel se poursuit en bouche avec une explosion de saveurs. Cette approche du bien et du bon se complète d’un menu végétarien et d'une sélection de plats sans gluten. A l’Absinthe, les découvertes jaillissent aussi dans des accords mets et vins proposés en collaboration avec la Cave des Jacobins à Dinan. L’épilogue de cette belle harmonie, c’est l’obtention du titre de Maître Restaurateur et du label Green Food qui récompense les restaurants engagés pour l'écologie.
PRICE RANGE
€15.00 – €45.00
CUISINES
French, European, Contemporary, Healthy, Gastropub
Special Diets
Vegetarian friendly
Meals
Lunch, Dinner, After-hours
FEATURES
Reservations, Private Dining, Seating, Street Parking, Serves Alcohol, Wine and Beer, Accepts Credit Cards, Table Service, Dog Friendly, Non-smoking restaurants, Gift Cards Available
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4.5
1,834 reviews
Excellent
1,026
Very good
504
Average
150
Poor
76
Terrible
78
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VinnieLondon
London12782 contributions
Jul 2021 • friends
Restaurant is tucked away up a little side street at the opposite end of the main Intra Muros visitor restaurant area, but well worth the 5 minute walk to find. Small traditional decor with a twist of modernity downstairs and a more modern upstairs dining space with a small bar and open kitchen at the entrance lobby. Great little menu selection of meats and fish dishes. Both Duck and Turkey mains were delicately presented with excellent standard of cooking. Nice cheese selection and the desserts on other tables again were delicately and beautifully presented. Much better value higher standard cooking than many of the main restaurants in the high footfall areas of the walled city. Service was very welcoming, and attentive throughout. Great little restaurant highly recommended to visit amongst the huge selection of restaurants within the town.
Written 1 July 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Pierre-Maxime
Thank you for your so nice comment.
We are very glad you liked your evening at Restaurant l'Absinthe
Best regards
Written 22 July 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
mark12356
8 contributions
Jun 2021 • none
Had a nice meal out here. Portions were well sized and beautifully presented with original choices of ingredients. We chose the 'wine pairing' option but found it a little uninspired for the price. A couple of little problems were very professionally handled (the wrong dessert and a dodgy bottle of wine) with even an extra dessert to compensate! A refined change from all the touristy creperies.
Written 18 June 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Pierre-Maxime
Dear Sir,
Thank you for your nice comment. We are glad you had a nice meal
Best regards
Written 22 July 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Ruth E
Blandford Forum40 contributions
Jul 2022 • couples
We booked a table for lunch today at 1.30pm. We arrived 45 minutes early, which didn’t seem to be a problem for the restaurant and we were shown to a lovely table by an open window on the second floor. The waitress didn’t speak English but spoke French slowly to help us to understand. I had profiteroles with smoked trout to start and my husband had sea bass carpaccio - both delicious. The main of prawns in curried spices were excellent and we had desserts of nectarines and apricots and fruit salad - both very good. We had a very nice bottle of wine and the ambiance was cool and relaxed. Would definitely return.
Written 16 July 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ilovetoeat!
9 contributions
Sept 2022 • couples
Terrible aggressive servers/owner. There are a lot of negative reviews that go into detail, you should not ignore them, the service was shockingly bad and the owner doesn’t deserve patronage. We dine out a lot and I have never felt compelled to leave a negative review, but this was by far the worst dining experience I have ever had. No amount of good food would have made up for how awful the server and owner were. The best thing we ate were bagel bites with salmon cream cheese… not exactly gastronomic, or worth the price. It’s sad because the building is gorgeous and the restaurant could be something special, but I can’t and won’t support businesses who berate their customers when they point out that their experience isn’t going well. There are a lot of really wonderful restaurants in Saint-Malo (there are 2 restaurants just doors down from this one that are fabulous), my recommendation would be to go anywhere but here.
Written 5 September 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Scarlett B
Brighton20 contributions
Apr 2023 • friends
This is one of the worst restaurant experiences ever. We were waitng for ages without drinks or being seen. The menu is very limited with the same menu printed across different pages. The food was very boring. Small portions. Lacking in flavour or imagination. The waiter was beyong rude. One of the party speaks flunet french. The rest aimed to use French. He basically laughed at us. And went on to correct every attempt to speak to him. It was very inappropriate. I would never have him on my restaurant floor letting the whole place down. He was also very demanding of pre ordering desert. This had then clearly sat on the pass and was too soft / melted by the time it got to us. This is in addition to him mocking the way my partner drank his drink during the meal. After our mains arrived he then brought bread and butter asking if we really want it? Such strange behaviour. I've worked in hospitality for years and this is one of the worst experiences. Food and service. Having frequently passed through St Malo which offers exceptional food offerings I would AVOID this place. The street L'Absinthe is on has other restautants that look amazing and I wished we'd gone too. The need a complete refurb of ideas, food and staff.
Written 23 April 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Macpherson family
Aberdeen48 contributions
Jul 2022 • couples
I don't normally post negative reviews, but feel the need this time. L'Absinthe, to me, acts like a gourmet restaurant, a level above the crowd, with website and prices to match (set menus 35 to 59 euro). Be warned.....
We found the food to be bland and service extremely rushed. Our starters were the weirdest and most tasteless plates of food we've ever had. Other courses were slightly better but not good.
Staff almost ran around, in what seemed to us an effort to get tables cleared and more people in. Their manner was brusque at best, verging on rude. If you want in and out in an hour, this place may be for you. But you could feel underwhelmed and overcharged. Our only bad meal in 8 nights of our trip so far. Pity, it could and should be much better, if only they cared a bit more.
Written 6 July 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Katharina K
1 contribution
Jun 2022 • friends
We had high hopes for this recommended restaurant - unfortunately the experience at L’Absinthe wasn’t as good as expected. They were clearly understaffed, so the wine came too late for our dishes, the food was nice enough but nothing special. Some dishes tasted a bit boring and flavorless, the food on the plate seemed to have been sitting there for a while before it came to our table, so things were a bit dry and the gravy was cold and had thickened. There was NO gravy on my plate, which again made things a bit dry and tasteless. No fotos of food since we couldn’t be bothered taking any.
The restaurant itself is nice, the seating is cozy and stylish. Just such a shame the food was so disappointing!!
Written 3 June 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Roland J
Rennes1 contribution
Oct 2023 • couples
I would like to point out that we were regulars at this establishment and over time we noticed a regular deterioration at all levels but we will not be returning there!
We take the formula at €26: starter, main course, dessert
Aperitif: after ordering an aperitif we ask to have a few small things to nibble while having our aperitif, negative response we are just offered bread and butter!!! the kir royal is still €15.00 or could add a few olives or peanuts for the price
Less than a minute after serving us the aperitif the starter arrives, no time to taste our aperitif, the starter was good but hey it's still minimalist, you still have to ask for bread that makes up for it a little what little there is on the plate.
I order a bottle of wine, we are served a carafe, we still have to report the error which has been corrected.
And then we wait, we wait and we wait but nothing comes after half an hour, my wife asks if we haven't been forgotten.
The main course eventually arrived, obviously it had not been left on the stove given its temperature, and it was of average quality, the fish was good but the vegetables were tasteless.
Then arrives the dessert, again one error only one corresponds to the order so return to the kitchen and 10 minutes later return of the good dessert hastily assembled with a whipped cream that lets itself go (citrus puffs) too bad there was a bitterness which greatly displeased me and the same for my wife. In the end, not much positive, the only thing we managed to do correctly was the addition of €98.00 for two menus (and not a gesture to make the disappointment go away). I want to pay well but I like to get my money's worth when I leave a restaurant I like to remember the quality of the cuisine and the service and when it's good you forget the amount of the bill.
In fact, the best thing we have been given are excuses, but there comes a point that is no longer enough, I can understand that we need to train young people in the profession but I am not a training funding organization, we we're just customers who want to treat themselves to a good restaurant Today everyone wants to "make money at all costs" and we end up forgetting the basics: CUSTOMER SATISFACTION.
Everyone does what they like but we won't go back
Written 8 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Julian1602
London18 contributions
Sept 2024 • family
This was our second time eating at this restaurant, having been there 6 years previously. Service then was impeccable and the imaginative menu a delight. On this occasion service was dire and the food was decidedly average. We were there 2.25 hours for a two course meal, with no apology forthcoming. The waiter was aloof . For example he said he would replenish our bread but then engaged in lengthy conversation with other customers and didn't return to our table. He was unable to recall who had ordered which dish. He offered no explanation as to why service was so delayed. Starters were visually unpleasant, very small, and of a tepid temperature. The main courses were better but nothing out of the ordinary. We had waited so long to receive this unexciting food we didn't order desserts. A very disappointing experience.
Written 17 September 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Petrovsky B
Argentan28 contributions
Aug 2023 • couples
Nothing was wrong.
Overcooked, overly sweet dishes in this perpetual search for a fashionable sweet and sour. A foie gras that arrives glistening with heat. Tiny portions, you come out hungry, and it's not the fruit in syrup for dessert that helps. Chipped dishes, cheap paper napkins. Fingerprints on the plates. Servers who do not follow the proposed food and wine pairing menu and go there haphazardly.
Very low quality/price ratio.
Written 22 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ValouFL
Dinan41 contributions
Jul 2024 • couples
A second time in this restaurant for a lunch (weekdays) with bitter taste ... more than 100 euros to 2 for starter + main course + 1 glass of wine / person ... with hunger in the stomach on leaving: never again!!!
I specify that we were 2 people of quite normal build (between 1.70/1.80 for 60-70 kg)
On the menu: lobster tartare (not 2) then white butter sauce bar.
When you know the minimum fishing size of the bar, you really wonder if it was respected or if it was a baby or a category c bar 😵💫
Certainly the flavors are there but for the quantity... go your way.
Our first visit was at a dinner with friends. We all chose the menu in 6 waves (2 starters / 2 courses / 2 desserts). Certainly the quantities were small but somehow justified by this type of menu, but in this case count more than 100 euros per head
For us, no more problem, there will be no 3rd time
Automatically translated
Written 5 August 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dream20437448413
Zurich6 contributions
Aug 2024 • couples
Came in almost by accident because we were looking for a quiet place to have lunch. We had a great time. Impeccable service cuisine and gourmet dishes very tasty and informal. Food and wine pairing tips are spot on. Honest prices and especially the tranquility of having lunch without people screaming and creating confusion. Here you will find French cuisine and a lot of imagination (see the reinterpretation of the cheese kache) EXCELLENT.
Automatically translated
Written 20 August 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Loic R
Dinan3 contributions
Apr 2024 • couples
Gift offered for discovery, quintessential menu + wine pairings in other words
a meal at 55 + 49 or 104 euros per person.
No complaints about the quality of the dishes, thanks to the chef.....
The service on the other hand is absolutely not up to par.
We had the wine pairings at the end of the meal, because we mentioned it.
The waiter completely stressed and obviously not informed about the menu.
Not a warm welcome, yet very few customers so no excuses.
Go your way.... This ambitious restaurant for its original cuisine does not tick
not all the boxes to have an impeccable reputation...
Written 15 April 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Skibumlady
Charlotte2113 contributions
Apr 2023 • couples
A very attractive setting in the first floor and basement of an older building. Walls a mix of beams, columns and arches of wood in a slate grey stain with walls of stacked flat stone. Lighting gave a warm ambiance. Wait staff was attentive, timely and very well versed in the menu and wine selections.
We started with a bottle of Bordeaux and the wonderful house baked whole wheat baguette and creamy butter.
The appetizers were excellent! Monkfish Gravlax was slightly salty and herby with kaffir line oil and a fresh salad of orange and grapefruit supremes for sweet, acid bite and balance. Beef Tataki was thin, rate strips of seared beef with julienned carrots, zucchini and pickled daikon radish. All in a great teriyaki sauce. Both wonderful mix of flavors.
Mains were equally impressive. A saddle of lamb Ballontine style - a stuffing of breadcrumbs, aromatic vegetables with a thyme laced au jus. Sides of carrots and broccoli and sliced potatoes. The lamb was perfectly pink with the moist, flavorful filling. Croaker Rossini Style was a skin-on portion seared crisp with a Rossini sauce (rich deglaze of fish pan juices and Madeira) poured over the fish and a seared slice of foie gras. A flavorful risotto al dente with steamed vegetables. All merged together wonderfully.
The dessert was called the Rock - a scoop of praline chocolate mousse with a heart of caramel and peanuts in a dark chocolate ganache shell with fluer de sel ice cream beside. Oh, so decadent! Be warned, you must order before your meal starts as it takes 45 minutes of prepare this masterpiece!
A truly wonderful dining experience! Suggest you make reservations.
Written 19 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Shanti_009
Ille-et-Vilaine339 contributions
Feb 2024 • couples
Our choice fell on this restaurant to celebrate Valentine's Day despite the recent reviews in TP... Bad choice.
We are installed in the upstairs room.
Unique menu this evening, but we were warned. Just a choice between 2 starters.
The waitress asks us our choice, takes the wine order, brings it to us with an appetizer. It’s 8:20 p.m. Alright. Then we forget… One hour!!! The waiters bring us other guests' dishes several times, but we still don't have our starters despite my request to the waitress. They finally arrive, it is 9:19 p.m. (time in the photos taken). The fish ceviche is good. The foie gras does not seem very fresh, partly green, lukewarm... the kiwi variation consists of a slice of green kiwi and half of yellow kiwi! Disappointment ! But after an hour of waiting, we are hungry.
Sea lasagna arrives at 9:48 p.m. Good.
The duck in all these states arrives at 10:20 p.m. Duck and spring rolls overcooked and dry, bitter endive tatin, tasteless Pont Neuf apples. All served lukewarm…
Dessert is served to us at 10:41 p.m., it’s not bad.
A waiter offered us a glass of champagne to make up for the long wait... we had to ask for it.
The waitress was new but that doesn't explain everything. With a shifty look throughout the service, she served us a glass of wine when she let us taste it, then, get on with it! She only occupied herself with serving wine to the guests who had chosen the food and wine pairing...
There you have it, a little “huff” but evening ruined by a stomach ache due to this stress. I do not recommend this restaurant at all, which must have made its reputation in another time…
Written 14 February 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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