Café Comptoir Abel

French restaurant · 2nd Arr.

Café Comptoir Abel

French restaurant · 2nd Arr.

1

25 Rue Guynemer, 69002 Lyon, France

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Café Comptoir Abel by null
Café Comptoir Abel by null
Café Comptoir Abel by null
Café Comptoir Abel by null
Café Comptoir Abel by null
Café Comptoir Abel by null
Café Comptoir Abel by null
Café Comptoir Abel by null
Café Comptoir Abel by null
Café Comptoir Abel by null
Café Comptoir Abel by null
Café Comptoir Abel by null
Café Comptoir Abel by null
Café Comptoir Abel by null
Café Comptoir Abel by null
Café Comptoir Abel by null
Café Comptoir Abel by null
Café Comptoir Abel by null
Café Comptoir Abel by null
Café Comptoir Abel by null
Café Comptoir Abel by null
Café Comptoir Abel by null
Café Comptoir Abel by null
Café Comptoir Abel by null
Café Comptoir Abel by null
Café Comptoir Abel by null
Café Comptoir Abel by null
Café Comptoir Abel by null
Café Comptoir Abel by null
Café Comptoir Abel by null
Café Comptoir Abel by null
Café Comptoir Abel by null
Café Comptoir Abel by null
Café Comptoir Abel by null
Café Comptoir Abel by null
Café Comptoir Abel by null
Café Comptoir Abel by null
Café Comptoir Abel by null
Café Comptoir Abel by null
Café Comptoir Abel by null
Café Comptoir Abel by null
Café Comptoir Abel by null
Café Comptoir Abel by null
Café Comptoir Abel by null
Café Comptoir Abel by null

Highlights

Step into Café Comptoir Abel, a charming bouchon with vintage decor, where classic Lyonnaise dishes like quenelle de brochet enchant both locals and visitors alike.  

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25 Rue Guynemer, 69002 Lyon, France Get directions

maisonabel.fr
@cafecomptoirabel

$$ · Menu

Reserve

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25 Rue Guynemer, 69002 Lyon, France Get directions

+33 4 78 37 46 18
maisonabel.fr
@cafecomptoirabel

$$ · Menu

Reserve

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Last updated

Jul 19, 2025

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Tony ate here with Chef Boulud and Bill Buford, a former fiction editor at The New Yorker. They had quenelle de brochet en gratin maison (gratin dumplings).

Lyon
View Postcard for CAFÉ COMPTOIR ABEL - Le plus vieux bouchon lyonnais

Yvonne Ly

Google
We chose this location because Anthony Bourdain highlighted it. It was beyond our dreams. The meal was exquisite (especially the morels and the tripe dishes). The decor inside was so kitschy and fun. Our waiter Fred was awesome! We also got a pot of wine to share (3 of us) which was perfect.

Joyce Lang

Google
The bouchon is located just outside the touristy old town area, close to the riverbank. It seems quite popular, as both the indoor and outdoor seating filled up quickly at dinner time. The service for the prix fixe menu is very fast. The meal began with appetizers of pâté and sausage, which were good but somewhat lacking in distinctive character. The highlight of the meal was the summer salad plate with crayfish. However, at over €30 for a bowl, it felt quite pricey. In hindsight, I should have opted for the Lyonnaise salad instead, which is about half the price. The main dishes leaned towards hearty and heavy, even with options like quenelle fish and chicken. The sauces were flavorful, rich, and paired well with either bread or rice, but the meat itself was rather bland. The local dessert wine was fresh and pleasant. Dessert of the day and the ice cream were average, though the ice cream was refreshing on a hot summer day. Service was attentive and friendly, with many locals and tourists dining, often accompanied by local friends. We parked in a paid lot along the river and walked to the restaurant. There are also a few parking spots directly in front of the restaurant along the road. Perhaps the food just isn’t quite to my taste, or maybe the heat and the long drive from Paris to Lyon affected my appetite. It might be worth trying again in cooler weather if you’re in the neighborhood.

Shin-Ei Taku

Google
I took a bus from Geneva, Switzerland to Lyon, it only took 2.5hours, so it felt like just popping over to the next city. One of the most charming things about Europe is that just a few hours of travel can transport you to a completely different culture and atmosphere. From the bus terminal, it was about a 10-minute walk to the restaurant. It wasn’t very crowded that day, so I was quickly seated at a very comfortable table. I ordered the €49 “Découverte du Terroir” course, choosing Salade Lyonnaise as my starter, Tartare de Bœuf as the main, and Tartelette Praliné for dessert, along with half a bottle of rosé wine. Everything was absolutely delicious, especially the Tartelette Praliné, which the manager recommended. It was amazing! The restaurant had a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere, and every staff was warm and courteous. I highly recommend it. Maybe it’s because I came from Switzerland, where prices are sky-high, but everything in Lyon felt so affordable in comparison, it almost felt like a trick! 😄

Roz Tahir

Google
One of the best place Lyon. We had foie gras for starters, chicken and beef with creamy sauce; steak tartare. Followed by sorbet for dessert. The house wine was devine. Highly recommended.

Derron Pocci

Google
One of the best dining experiences I had in Lyon. Tried this place because of Anthony Bourdain and was not disappointed at all! Their steak and morel mushroom sauce was absolutely mind blowing. Do NOT miss this place if visiting Lyon.

tina chan

Google
Unfortunately, our group had a very disappointing experience at Abel Comptoir. We came for a farewell dinner expecting a quality French meal, but the service and food were well below expectations. The restaurant served shared dishes (2–3 people per bowl) instead of individual plates, which made it very difficult to enjoy the meal, especially given the limited table space. People were seated randomly, not based on their food choices, which made sharing even more awkward. The wait time between courses was extremely long — over an hour between dishes — and when the food finally arrived, it was underwhelming. I ordered the chicken leg, which came served in a pan with five pieces for the whole table. The chicken was dry and bland, and when I accidentally dropped mine due to the cramped space, the staff neither replaced it nor cleaned it up. I had to rely on my classmates to share what little they had. The overall experience felt disorganized and careless. For a place that appears to be proud of French cuisine, the execution and hospitality were very disappointing

Frank Eng

Google
We were walking by Cafe Comptoir Abel an a Saturday evening and observed a crowd waiting for the restaurant to open. We were curious. Check out their website and decided to book a table for 3 the next evening and cancelled a reservation we already had for that night. We were not disappointed. The foie gras appetizer was fantastic; the sweetbread with morel in cream sauce decadently rich. The chicken with morel sauce was also very good.

Karen Aslanian

Google
Very nice and cosy bouchon, very authentic. Staff very friendly, happy to help with explaining the highlights of the menu (ingredients, way of preparation, etc). Very honest and good wine list, with fair recommendations from the staff. Highly recommended!
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C D.

Yelp
Came here on a friend's recommendation, so delicious. 10/10 would come back. The salad is amazing, and the service was attentive without being overbearing.
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Bernie P.

Yelp
Note, three stars is not bad. It was ok and that is fine too. You can see my reasoning why I'm not gushing about the restaurant and decide for yourselves. **As others stated, you are not going to a Michelin star restaurant. This is like a family restaurant for hearty food and that's what you get. We asked our travel agent to book us an authentic bouchon experience. I would guess this largely hit the mark (but this was our one and only bouchon experience). There is definitely a feeling of authenticity. The prices are overall good. We saw a mix of locals and tourists. Service was reasonably efficient and pleasant. For the price, our wine was a good value. We ate a lot (as we usually do). We started with the house paté and the fois gras toast. *The foie gras toast was the definite winner of the night and highly recommend it. 23 Euros was a bargain for the quality and flavor. The pate was a little tasteless and dry. For our main course, we ordered the roasted potatoes, mixed vegetables and each had the beef. One with sauce and one without (because of a dairy allergy). The quality of the beef widely varied between the two (even though it was the same plat). The one with sauce had a lot more fat and grissle than the one without. Also, I really didn't enjoy the sauce and thought it did little to enhance the beef. The desert was a nice treat and well priced. We had a chestnut sorbet with chocolate sauce (all nondairy) which was nice. All in, we had two starters, a bottle of wine, two orders of the beef steak, roasted potatoes, vegetables, (rice is included for free), and split the sorbet. The price was 185 Euros with 10 euros left in cash for a modest tip. I sit between 3 and 4 stars, but lean a little more towards 3 because of the obvious disappointment of being served such a fatty piece of meat. Otherwise, you do get a lot of decent food for the price. You still may want to go. Looking at the other reviews, I'm guessing that I just had a little bad luck with the cut of beef because the overwhelming majority of people like the restaurant, and I believe is a nice way to get an authentic bouchon experience.
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Christina R.

Yelp
This bouchon was on my list but it wasn't one that I was really hyped up for. I know, I know, I love and miss Bourdain too but this was actually the reason I didn't want to go. Stuff gets hyped up, even in France, and quality goes down. However, Cafe Comptoir Abel was extremely close to our hotel and we were very hungry after a long harrowing night before. Walking in without a reservation was a bit off-putting. I'm used to French servers but this one was very put out we didn't have a reservation. I don't know why though, the room we were in was not even close to full and didn't fill up while we were there. It took a long time to get our order taken, to even order water. We asked for house water but got a bottle of Evian instead. Looking around, the locals all had carafes of water and the American tourists had Evian. This already is not going well. The food was meh. Bland and ill prepared. I was expecting it to be at least good. I was wrong. We also had a lot of the orders incorrect since our server couldn't care less about us. Any time we tried to get his attention, he would leave the room. Wonderful! I will say it was a cool old building and worth seeing the inside for all of the interesting decorations and old timey stuff. However, I would not recommend eating here.
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Joyce C.

Yelp
What a charming place! Delicious food and excellent service! I started with the Terrine de Porc and followed it up with a Quenelle de Brochet. I loved both dishes, the Quenelle literally just melted in my mouth! Yummy!

Tom C.

Yelp
I'm not sure why this is considered only four stars by reviewers. I suspect that people expected Michelin star type restaurant. This is not it. This is fantastic Lyonnaise cuisine!! From beginning to end, the food and service was delicious and pleasant! The wine selection, overpriced by my opinion, was very respectable, but appropriate for the meals that were had. If I had to do another meal here again, I would not hesitate to do so, but would want to come with a bigger appetite and sample more dishes. Again, not a Michelin star restaurant, but still deserving a five star review, at least from me. Bon appétit!
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Jim A.

Yelp
Nice rustic place south of Bellacour in a quiet area about a block off the Soane. A mix of native and English speakers but definitely did not have a tourist feel. Excellent service. The food was sublime. We split the salads gourmand which had a nice piece of foie gras on top. For main course we had the Crawfish Gratin and the Filet Mignon (beef) with morels in a cream sauce. Excellent restaurant would definitely go back.

Melissa S.

Yelp
What a wonderful restaurant, the atmosphere is amazing and the food is delicious. We had the brochet quenelle and the chicken and both were perfect. Service was nice and they speak English.

Connie B.

Yelp
Food was so good, among the best meals I have had in France! I went alone as my husband was sick that evening. The staff treated me very warmly and made me feel very comfortable at a lovely table. They were very attentive and helped with the menu choices. We are returning to Lyon in January and plan to come here if they are open. Highly recommend.
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Lisa T.

Yelp
At the recommendation of our neighbors, we came here and it did not disappoint! This is one of the oldest bouchons in Lyon and once you try their food, you'll understand why they've stood the test of time! The décor is quaint and unique with lots of fun memorabilia. We ordered the Lyonnaise salad which was delicious with crunchy and salty bacon bits, perfectly poached egg, lightly seasoned croutons, and nicely dressed salad greens. My boyfriend had the crayfish salad that had the right amount of crunch, salt, and shellfish flavor. I had the andouillette sausage with mustard sauce for my main dish which was juicy and flavorful. The star of the lunch was the chicken with morel sauce though. Omg I could have drank that delicious sauce. My mouth is watering just thinking about it. It had great umami and was rich but not heavy. A must try if you're in Lyon. Be sure to get a reservation though. It fills up fast with both tourists and locals.
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Candace R.

Yelp
I feel so lucky and honored to have dined in one of the oldest bouchons in Lyon. This place's reputation exceeds itself and we had a divine dinner. We definitely ordered too much food but were able to try a lot of dishes (we found a homeless person to take our leftovers - win win). The warm Lyonnaise salad was so comforting and unexpected. We also loved the quenelle dish; a typical Lyonnaise dish that I wanted to try thanks to Anthony Bourdain. The restaurant is very old but well kept, with awesome artifacts and other vintage memorabilia. The staff are excellent and were very attentive to us, and it didn't matter that we were clearly tourists. Their wine selection is also amazing and pairs well with the dishes. I was inspired to come here and so glad we were able to get a reservation for a wonderful dinner.
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John T.

Yelp
Amazing French cuisine in an eclectic historic setting in Lyon. Loved it all. Had the three course dinner with Chicken and Rice which was well seasoned and not over salted like many other restaurants. Top notch service also.

Thomas P.

Yelp
Brilliant bouchon in a great old school setting. A must when in Lyon! Traditional recipes prepared beautifully. Even the pot wines are lovely.

Alexandre J.

Yelp
Deplorable, Staff : Haughty, disrespectful and provocative ! Déplorable, Personnel : Hautain, irrespectueux et provocateur ! 2023, January the 4th 12:45 invoice 124 euros. Reception and service from the staff was deplorable and haughty. 12:35 they let us waiting outside in the cold (6°C) during more than 7 minutes, girl staff pretending we were not... occupation restaurant was at this time at maximum 30% or 40%. "Quenelle" (dumping) was served not inflated, very compact, difficult to swallow, not cooked enough and just lukewarm. Staff at first refused to serve a portion for each of us (pilaf rice). Suprised to have just a little rice portion for two, angry she said with disrespect "YOU HAVE TO ASK AFTER IF YOU WANT MORE !". (just one little portion for two, not enough), she pretending "customers has not respect for food"... So you have to wait and ask after for a new portion. But you wait to call the unplaisant waitress to ask for the rice ... I had to woke up to ask her, because the waitress seemed not earing our calls each time ... and then you wait to get just another little warm portion of rise. Meanwhile both of our dishes were cold (half of the food) for my wife (morel chicken) and I (quenelle) because of the waiting. Some customers got a portion for each of them, one accompaniment for each one ; but not when you have two pilaf rice ! OK !!! Staff at the end was disrespectful and even provocative... My great grandparents, my grandparents, my parents my children my wife (55 years old) and I (51 years old), used to come Chez Abel. 5 generations ! We have all lived, and live rue de l'Abbaye d'Ainay. It has never be as worse as it is today ! First time I did not leave a good TIP. Sad... Never ever again. 2 Aperitifs + pot de Macon + still water + 2 starter + 2 main dishes no dessert no coffee 124 euros !!! Alexandre Joubert From English to french translated 2023, le 4 janvier 12:45 facture 124 euros. L'accueil et le service de la part du personnel était déplorable et hautain. 12:35 ils nous ont laissé attendre dehors dans le froid (6°C) pendant plus de 7 minutes, la serveuse prétendant que nous n'étions pas à attende... occupation restaurant était à ce moment là à maximum 30% ou 40%. La "quenelle" a été servie non gonflée, très compacte, difficile à avaler, pas assez cuite et juste tiède. Le personnel a d'abord refusé de servir une portion pour chacun de nous (riz pilaf). Surprise de n'avoir qu'une petite portion de riz pour deux, en colère elle a dit avec manque de respect "VOUS DEVEZ DEMANDER APRÈS SI VOUS VOULEZ PLUS !". (juste une petite portion pour deux, pas assez), elle a prétendu "les clients n'ont pas de respect pour la nourriture"... Donc vous devez attendre et demander après une nouvelle portion. Mais vous attendez pour appeler la serveuse non complaisante pour demander du riz... J'ai dû me réveiller pour lui demander, parce que la serveuse ne semblait pas écouter nos appels à chaque fois ... et puis vous attendez pour obtenir juste une autre petite portion chaude de riz. Pendant ce temps, nos deux plats étaient froids (la moitié de la nourriture) pour ma femme (poulet aux morilles) et moi (quenelle) à cause de l'attente. Certains clients ont eu une portion pour chacun d'entre eux, un accompagnement pour chacun d'entre eux ; mais pas quand on a deux riz pilaf ! OK ! !! Le personnel à la fin a été irrespectueux et même provocateur.... Mes arrière-grands-parents, mes grands-parents, mes parents mes enfants ma femme (55 ans) et moi (51 ans), venions Chez Abel. 5 générations ! Nous avons tous vécu, et vivons rue de l'Abbaye d'Ainay. Cela n'a jamais été aussi mauvais qu'aujourd'hui ! C'est la première fois que je ne laisse pas un bon TIP. Triste... Plus jamais ça. 2 Apéritifs + pot de Macon + eau plate + 2 entrées + 2 plats principaux pas de dessert pas de café 124 euros ! !! Alexandre Joubert
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David K.

Yelp
A bouchon is a Lyonnaise institution serving traditional Lyonnaise dishes in a casual, bar-like setting. For my visit to the city, I used Anthony Bourdain as a guide and landed in Cafe Comptoir Abel. I must not have been the only one to do this, as the restaurant upon opening was quickly filled with foreign visitors. From the outside, the bouchon looked like any other French bistro, but once I saw and tasted the food, I began to see the distinctive characteristics of a Lyonnaise bouchon! We started our meal with the crawfish salad, which may have been one of the best French-style salads I've ever had. It was nothing more than a pile of shelled crawfish with cooked and shelled green beans over simple greens, but every single element of this salad was coated perfectly in the most addictively delicious dressing. We had to wait quite a while between our appetizers and main dishes, but the moment our mains did come, I knew the wait had been worth it. First, we got the "chicken and rice with supreme sauce," which consisted of an airline chicken breast in a creamy, decadent sauce along with carrots and artichokes on an iron plate. The long-grain rice, which came on the side in another iron plate, was itself so flavorful, but with some of the supreme sauce ladled on top, made for an absolutely amazing bite! Next, we had the traditional "quenelle de brochet," or pike perch dumpling. This dish was made with the pike perch fish mixed with a choux-like pastry dough and cooked in liquid. The spongy dumpling was submerged in a creamy mushroom sauce with cheese and was baked on an iron plate until caramelized. While the dish was tasty, both the sauce and the dumpling were far too salty, and I much preferred the slightly more balanced flavors of the chicken and rice dish. If you haven't guessed by this point, Lyonnaise food is known for being extremely heavy--the two dishes we ordered came with the most decadent cream sauces, and though I'm usually not the biggest fan of these types of dishes, I was extremely impressed by the flavors and execution of the food at this bouchon!
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Joshua R.

Yelp
Came with a group of 10 and had a great time. Lots of seating with a choice of separate rooms. We were all quite pleased with our dishes. Very friendly staff and cozy decor.
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Anda D.

Yelp
Booked reservations here to get a taste of real Lyonnaise food and Comptoir Abel did not disappoint. Food was delicious. Most dishes were prepared in a traditional white cream sauce and many had morel mushrooms in them. My salad with paté was delicious. Artichokes were a bit bland but the other veggies were perfect. Kids got chicken in the cream sauce and husband filet in morel cream sauce. They were delectable. For dessert do not miss the crème caramel and tarte Lyonnaise. Service was quick and attentive.

Barbara T.

Yelp
Very friendly staff and descent prices. The food is traditional Lyonnaise cuisine, very high quality.
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Doreen L.

Yelp
A warm chalet-like bouchon with generous portions and delicious lyonnaise food. Definitely order their quenelle de brochet or fish dumpling. This creamy dish looks more like a fish casserole, but tastes with silky buttery layers of pike and a creamy buttery cake. Provencal Rose- crisp, clean and rich with flavor. Famous to this region and enjoyed by the locals. I wish I bought a bottle at the local wine store to bring home. Their Lyonnaise salad is specific to this region but appears to be a humble home dish. Poached egg over bacon and frisée. The French people around us whispered in surprise 'why did they order a salad?' Hot sausage and lentils. A great ham based sausage with lentils cooked in lardons fat. Simple decent dish. Salmon with dill. Our server misheard us when we ordered the white fish and gave us salmon instead. Solid dish but not specific to Lyon. Loved the ratatouille and the use of dill and lemon. Try to sit in the back and hope you are lucky enough to get the female waitress or the male waiter with curly brown hair. They are sweet and patient. The blond host and waiter was rude to the French and American clients. And he definitely hated Americans. (He apologized to our female server for giving her two tables of Americans. And he rolled his eyes at me when I asked to sit inside instead of outside). Servers speak limited English, so brush up on your French. The table next to us burst out laughing because I said tres bien instead of tres Bon. Oops. French usually do not take home leftovers but our salmon was almost untouched so our waitress complied. Thanks for a lovely time! C'est Bon!

Mark S.

Yelp
Outstanding food and service. Sitting outside at sunset and well into the evening was an experience I will never forget.
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Mike H.

Yelp
An excellent establishment that serves up authentic Lyonnais cuisine. Historical interior that was likely preserved from the early 20th century when the restaurant first opened. This is a rare gem of a restaurant in Lyon. Let me begin by saying that we almost walked out of here, but I'm glad we didn't. The first waitress rudely refused to seat us after we expressed our preference to sit in the main dining room instead of the inner room. She was noticeable annoyed and told us "to do whatever we want". This was rather rude and several of my family members were offended, myself included. Usually, I storm out of restaurants like this at this point, but I thought otherwise. We changed waiter, but he did not bring water for our table after more than 20 minutes. In any case, in writing this Yelp review, I've decided not rate the service because I have noticed the norm/expectation of service is quite different in Europe vs US -- especially in less touristy areas, in which Comptoir Abel is located. Onto food, we started our meal with chef's Terrine (loaf of mixed pork meats) and foie gras. Both tasted like refined versions of other ones I've tried in Europe, with the flavors and textures very well balanced. I also liked the salad with bacon and broken egg. The thick-cut bacon was spot on mixed with greens. For main course, I opted for the steak fillet with sauteed potatoes, which were perfected sauteed and crispy on the outside. With minimal seasoning and a light layer of sauteed parsley, the meat was extremely tender and flavorful throughout. Interesting fact: I later found out Anthony Bourdain dined here for one of his episodes.
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W C.

Yelp
Hands down the best meal we've had--or will have--in France on our two week trip. You will leave here feeling like you are on a float of meringue flowing down a river of melted cheese. We wanted to eat in a traditional Lyonnaise Bouchon, and there are only twenty or so official ones in the city, so we made a reservation weeks in advance at the first one we found alphabetically: Abel. The reservation was helpful but for a Monday lunch, mostly unnecessary. The place was comfortably full yet not too crowded. First of all, ambience. It is so cozy and perfect in here: old worn tables and chairs, old-timey cuisine paintings (we were seated adjacent to some lobster art)...it immediately felt warm and inviting. Food is to die for. We skipped the prix fixe and started with a Lyonnaise salad and an artichoke heart/green bean appetizer. OH-MON-DIEU. Fresh and simple ingredients skillfully prepared...just plain sorcery. The salad had crunchy and chewy bacon bits with a poached egg, greens, and croutons with a mustard vinaigrette. We loved it, but the artichoke heart (which we feel we've never really had done well in the States) was a dish that we will be thinking about for years to come. It's impossible to even describe how good it was. For the main, our waitress suggested the pike dumpling, and we thought it would be pike served with a dumpling shell but it was like the whole thing itself was a dumpling made from fish (served with a cream sauce and some delicious rice). It was fine, but not as jaw dropping as our previous two dishes. Our daughter had their pasta gratin, which is essentially superior French mac-n-cheese. For dessert, the chocolate fondant (served with raspberry and passion fruit purée) had all three of us rolling back our eyes in a state of bliss. We did not want the meal to end. Service was pretty good, but it seemed that they needed at least one other person on the floor. Towards the end, some important manager guy came out and started helping the two young women; he was so sweet with our daughter (even brought her her own tiny slice of fondant). So, let's round it all up: 4 glasses of wine, 2 appetizers, 1 entree, 1 dessert: 90 Euros. That's 90 % less money than we spent at L'Arpege and was 90% better. We don't know if other Lyonnaise bouchons are as good as this one, but we will forever look back fondly on this meal.
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Malik A.

Yelp
Traditional Lyonnaise cuisine. A must if you are in Lyon. reservations recommended
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Michael U.

Yelp
Items Selected: Warm Bread Fond d'artichaut frais au foie gras Terrine du Chef (porc, veau, foie de volaille) Quenelle de brochet en gratin maison Baba au rhum & sa Chantilly Considered by some to be the best of its kind, and open for lunch and dinner every day save for Sunday within a two-story space that speaks to an age long past, Café Comptoir Abel was scheduled for Tuesday lunch after touring several local churches and with an appetite peaked by a long hike in the sun a timely arrival just as the doors opened found the main dining room open to the air outdoors while two tourists plus several locals quickly found seat both on the patio and amidst the cozy confines downstairs. More a bouchon or bistro than an actual café, and said by some to be the oldest of its kind, the experience at Café Comptoir Abel is without doubt one of the most 'authentic' feeling in the city with service that actually seems happy to provide guests with an excellent customer experience, my refusal of the English menu in favor of one written in French perhaps the reason for attentive service that saw a prix fixe ordered with the addition of the Chef's terrine, every plate served trumping the other iterations served at similar spots within the city's confines, and one of them better than Michelin starred iterations found in Paris on visits past. Admittedly a bit muggy during one of the warmest June's in the history of Central France, it was with several refilled bottles of water plus a crusty baguette that the meal began, and without even time to request a bit of butter I was quickly treated to a duo of cold appetizers, the terrine rich with expected sapor and a bit of minerality while a thick terrine of foie gras came lightly dressed in salt crystals atop a supple slice of artichoke and salad tossed with just a touch of vinegar and pepper to make the whole plate feel unexpectedly vibrant and bright. Intrigued by the kitchen's decision to present the quenelle of pike 'au gratin' as opposed to with a traditional sauce Nantua, suffice it to say that nothing could have prepared me for what actually came forth after approximately thirty minutes, the puff of fish nearly the size of my forearm served lightly browned from a large skillet with the rest of the sauce left behind to be added as I liked, the bits sticking to the pan not unlike the top of baked macaroni with the richness of Bechamel just reined in by a handful of mushrooms juxtaposing sharp notes of cheese. At this point almost certain that dessert would be every bit as good as the rest it was only the day's aggressive eating schedule and dinner at Maison Pic that prevented me from ordering more than one, and generally expecting large portions after everything just experienced there was absolutely nothing to be disappointed in by the housemade baba, the yeasty round served soaking wet in a pool of spiced rum with a scoop of Chantilly that just went on and on, more offered without request as the best bites proved to be those matching a spoonful of cake to an equal part of whipped cream.
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Xochitl G.

Yelp
Excellent lunch here. We had sweetbreads and steaks with morels, each dish came with a side. If we lived in Lyon, I'd be back!
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Portia H.

Yelp
So delicious. The restaurant is inconspicuously located on a corner. It's very old and ornate. The staff is busy, but friendly. And the food is magnificent. Wooooow. Yuuuum. We got the pike perch dumpling and it was so delicious I just wanted to keep it in my mouth forever.
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Perry And Deanna O.

Yelp
Incredible Lyonnaise food! The chicken with morel mushroom sauce and pike dumplings were amazing. Service was incredible. Reservations a must!
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Danielle T.

Yelp
Amazing!!!!!! Amazing food service and atmosphere! Felt like we stepped into a magical authentic delicious universe. Menu was in English and French! Massive family style food! Best thing we've had in France to date!
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E L.

Yelp
The staff here are very very very friendly and lovely but the famous "gratin dumpling"? Too creamy and wasn't a big fan but their steak with morel sauce was quite divine.
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Anne J.

Yelp
Good food really, great setting but the staff lacks warmth. The place wasn't super packed but they were just rushing around us slamming things. We didn't like the atmosphere because of that but the food was decent and so was the setting.
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Krystal Y.

Yelp
This was a cute restaurant tucked in a corner of a quiet side street. The building at night is gorgeous, and inside felt warm and friendly. I had the 34€ set menu, which included an artichoke and green bean salad to start (which was huge, btw). My main dish was pike Quenelle - a traditional Lyonnaise dish. It was served with the most amazing cream sauce. I could feel myself gaining pounds as I ate, but I didn't care. The menu also came with dessert - I had the vanilla ice cream with hot chocolate. It was fantastic. During my 1-week business trip to Lyon, this was my favourite restaurant by far. I'd highly recommend it, and if I'm ever in the city again, I would definitely go again.
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Ken F.

Yelp
Was our best meal in Lyon and maybe one of the best of our recent trip through France. Amazing cute little place very busy lots of positive energy and we were the only English speaking in the place! Our waitress was amazing and accommodating and helped us pick our meals. Sausage and lentils was the hit of the day but everything looked good. We couldn't decide for desert so our our waitress surprised us with a bit of everything! Wish we had more time in Lyon to give this gem a second go! We were the last to leave the lunch seating...
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Bruce H.

Yelp
I very rarely, I mean almost never give a one star review. Recommended by our Marriott Concierge, we used a Uber for the €15 ride along with our two guests. Seated promptly along with menus and wine list, the experience went downhill from there. The requested Beaujolais was not available and I accepted a substitute that was not great but ok. Our orders went in quickly after our 8 p.m. arrival but it was 8.40 p.m. before we saw the one salad ordered and 9.30 before entrees arrived. By this time, my wife was too tired to eat and the plate of salmon tartar returned almost untouched. One of our guests could barely eat the steak which was very tough and left sides untouched. While my pike perch dumpling was supposed to take 25 minutes to prepare, adjacent later arriving guests were served the same dish and had left before we were served. We skipped dessert desiring to leave asap but I was still charged for the dessert I never had. The bill was adjusted by €1 after I complained but the apology fell way short of any sincerity or consideration. We are world travelers and were quite happy to spend $500 at Chateau D'Artigny in Montbazon the prior night for a most memorable meal. This was only €132 so I guess we got what we paid for. One is still left with an uncomfortable feeling that we were treated less than fairly as American visitors. Perhaps others might take note.

LeAnh D.

Yelp
I was recommended to try this place because it's right around the corner from the hotel. It turns out that this place hidden out of nowhere, was discovered and highly praised by Anthony Bourdain. I have to say the service is impeccable. Personnel is friendly and courteous. I'm here for lunch and wish I had a bigger appetite. Poulet Morilles was my plat, served with rice cooked in broth. I also had Baba au Rhum but am to full to finish it, so i ate thé chantilly and thé rhum. Highly recommend thé place if you are close to thé Quartier Ainay on tjis dide of the Saône.

Celeste J.

Yelp
We overpaid for a great meal...they raised prices I think after Anthony Bourdain's visit. Great to see this i Classic boychon...
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William M.

Yelp
This is my gastromic heart in Lyon. The building, lit at night, is beautiful and inviting. We were walking around, and saw it across the little square nearby. As we walked up to read the menu, we noticed that the door handles had been removed. Clever, that. We walked around the block and found the door handles in place upon our return, shortly after 7:30PM. Opening the door, we entered a smallish dark room and were instantly greeted by a young woman who greeted and seated up in a larger room past the kitchen and staircase. What a menu. Quenelles! Huge, beautiful and oh so tasty! The sausage! Heavenly! There were so many interesting items on the menu I was spoilt for choice, as the British say. And then there were the wines. They were perfect compliments to the cuisine. Our waitress was helpful, and thankfully my French was good enough to engage in conversation about which wine would be best with which dish. Great help, and great service We went back the next day, gluttons for delight. They were starting to offer a 'farmer's breakfast' between 9-11AM. Wow, am I glad we did. Tripe, so tender, so flavorful, so excellent. A beef salade the best I've ever enjoyed. And a small pitcher of wine to wash it down with. What a great way to start a day in Lyon. We met the chef, Alain, and spoke briefly about his philosophy of honest flavorful food. A very nice guy. Do yourself a favor and come eat here. You will be so glad you did. Enjoy!

Lynn W.

Yelp
We ate here and at another bouchon while we were in Lyon, and couldn't decide which was better, they were both so good. The service here was just lovely, with waitresses who were much more than accommodating. The food was fabulous, the house wine was a good complement to our meals, and the ambience was comfortable and a little more upscale. We had their infused brandy with our desserts, and it was not to be missed. Definitely would return, wihtout a doubt!
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Norman M.

Yelp
Each time I visit Lyon, I go to Abel. Their 3 course meal is the best deal in town. The charcuterie plate is amazing. Chicken with rice is super.

Cyndi M.

Yelp
The most memorable meal we had in France during our 2 week visit! Not to be missed if you ever find yourself in this beautiful city!!! Salad Lyonaisse and sweetbreads were the best~service was very friendly and seemed to be lots of locals dining here.
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Aimee D.

Yelp
Simply brilliant, from atmosphere & wine to each gorgeous dish. One of the most special dinners we had while traversing through France on our honeymoon.

Five Word Review S.

Yelp
Rich flavour, classic lyon bouchon
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Erin G.

Yelp
My husband and I went here on our honeymoon after seeing that Anthony Bourdain raved about it. The food was excellent, I had the famous poulet aux morrilles a le creme. If you are in Lyon, you must try!