La Baie

Dining at La Baie, the Michelin-starred French restaurant at The Ritz-Carlton, Osaka, was an unforgettable experience. From the moment I stepped in, I was immersed in an atmosphere of pure elegance—the classic French-inspired decor, warm lighting, and impeccable service made the evening feel truly special. The menu was beautifully curated, showcasing the finest ingredients with precise execution. I started with the Oscietra caviar on fennel mousse with delicate bouillabaisse jelly, which was an exquisite balance of flavors—the richness of the caviar complemented by the light, aromatic mousse. The charcoal-grilled lobster with turnip cream and crustacean coulis was another standout dish, with a perfect smoky char and deep umami flavors. One of my favorites was the abalone steamed with seaweed, tarragon Béarnaise, and black truffle sauce—the tenderness of the abalone, paired with the richness of the sauce, was simply divine. The poached amadai in whey, with vin jaune fumet and seaweed butter was delicate yet full of depth, with a subtle wasabi kick that added an interesting contrast. For the main course, I opted for the spicy roasted Japanese duck fillet on the bone, served with cauliflower cream and braised lentils. The duck was cooked to perfection, incredibly tender with a beautifully crisped exterior. There was also the option to upgrade to roasted Wagyu beef with coffee butter and red wine sauce, which sounded tempting, but I decided to stick with the original choice—and I had no regrets. To end the meal, I chose the strawberries in different textures with cocoa pulp mousse, mint jelly, and Hyuganatsu sherbet. It was refreshing and light, a perfect balance of sweetness and acidity to cleanse the palate. I also opted for the wine pairing, which elevated the entire experience. Each pour was thoughtfully selected to complement the flavors of the dishes, from crisp whites that enhanced the seafood courses to deep, complex reds that paired beautifully with the duck. The sommelier’s choices were spot on, making every sip a seamless extension of the meal. Everything about the evening was impeccable—from the flawless service to the beautifully plated dishes. La Baie truly delivers on its Michelin-star reputation, offering a refined yet approachable fine dining experience. Whether you're celebrating a special occasion or simply indulging in an exquisite meal, this is a must-visit in Osaka.

I had high expectations for this restaurant and chose it as the place to celebrate my birthday. I reserved a 20,000 yen course meal. The disappointment started early on with the first appetizer, which came with three small items. While I was eating, a server came over to explain the menu and picked it up from the table. I instinctively took the menu from them, but when I put it down, my hand accidentally brushed the leftmost tartare with salmon roe — which I hadn’t eaten yet — and it fell onto the tablecloth right in front of both the server and me. The server only handed me a hand towel and didn’t offer to replace the item or even ask if I was okay. I had no choice but to pick it up and eat it off the tablecloth. That alone was quite disappointing. Then, while eating the salmon, I found a fish bone in it. Later, one of the vegetable sides served with the fish looked visibly wilted and not fresh. I asked the server about it, and they brought it to the kitchen to ask the chef. They came back and simply told me, “There’s nothing wrong with it.” Visibly, however, it was not up to standard for something meant to be part of a salad. The staff only smiled and said, “We understand your concern, but it’s not a problem,” which made it feel like no matter what you point out, they will just brush it off instead of trying to address the issue. From that point on, I lost my appetite and couldn’t enjoy the rest of the meal. Every dish tasted just average, many overly salty, and far below the expectations I had. Overall, I was very disappointed. Frankly, I’m genuinely shocked that this restaurant has received Michelin recognition. Based on my experience, it falls far short of the standards I would expect from any establishment with such a title.

I celebrated my birthday at this restaurant. The setting is elegantly palatial, making you feel as if you’re inside a European castle. The Michelin-level feast was exquisite, with every dish meticulously prepared and delicious. As we left, the French head chef personally came out to thank us, bowing as he saw us off — a gesture that showed the utmost courtesy and attentiveness. I would love to come back and try the other menus here if I get the chance. Highly recommended.

A newish building on the outside, but the hotel inside was made to look like a historic European mansion or palace. Dark wood paneling on the walls, and even the elevator button panels look antique. We needed help to find the restaurant inside this hotel, which could be accessed via underground pathway all the way from Umeda station. A hotel staff member saw us wandering and directed us to the 5th floor. Interestingly, everyone has been trained to introduce themselves before offering assistance which is an intriguing but nice touch. We pre-picked our meal when reserving online, the most budget lunch at just under 15000 yen. There are options to upgrade some dishes, and I opted to get the venison which was an extra 600 and extra cheese dessert for 1000. This meal consisted of the amuse bouche, followed by three appetizers. The plating and flavor definitely French, but the choice to grill mackerel perhaps a Japanese influence. They did a good job getting rid of the fishy taste of mackerel which is present at most sushi establishments. The bread looked unassuming, but was nice and warm and very soft inside. They had to ship the butter from France and prepare it in front of us, so we knew it was not run of the mill. There was a pre-blended seaweed flavor, or you can use the plain butter and add their French salt and Malaysian pepper. I sometimes use bread to soak up sauces, but doing that here will mean less bread for the butter! For the main, my partner chose kinmedai and myself the venison. The fish was good but not superlative. However the venison was super tender and without the gamey flavor that cause me to usually avoid this meat. I initially thought the cheese dish was like a cheese plate, which I normally don't order. But this is a cream cheese tart with fruit compote. The cheese is a very light cream, not sure if you can get the same effect with the bricks we buy at the supermarket... The actual dessert, I got rum savarin which came with a dish of cream. My partner had the strawberry dish. Perhaps late February is strawberry season because I'm seeing it everywhere. The surprise is the sherbet made from "hyuganatsu" which is like yuzu but better lol. Finally, petit fours was brought to us on a cart and we can only pick 3. In a way that's good because there's usually one or two that aren't my thing. Flavored macadamia nuts is a new experience for me. All in all, everything I had in this meal was very good to excellent. Nothing here gave me even the thought that it didn't fully deserve its star. French techniques, combination of local and imported ingredients, definitely can compete with the top French restaurants in Paris or New York.

The service and food were as expected - exciting and first class. We booked the Signature menu for 5 people, kids including. The team at La Baie were professional and engaging to every member of our family. The food was exquisite.

If you have the luxury to try any French restaurants in Osaka. This is it!! But getting a reservation can be a challenge but the reservation desk is very accommodating, just try, you never know. The restaurant offers some of the most exquisite seasonal dishes available with local produce. (Minimal carbon footprint). Each dish is a work of art and just simply amazing. The service is also great, very considerate, and even offers you to use your own currency when using credit cards. Never knew that was an option. But given the lower yen, I opted for settlement in yen instead of my credit card currency. Just go and eat there, you will be amazed!

Nestled within The Ritz-Carlton, La Baie is a sanctuary of French gastronomy. Experience unparalleled luxury with sophisticated ambiance featuring rich wood paneling, classic chandeliers, and elegant artwork. Visually stunning plates and impeccable service create a truly exclusive and unforgettable dining experience.

Celebrated birthday here~ went for the most expensive menu, good execution on all dishes, lobster outstanding. Wine pairing is good, but mostly white, we liked more red. The whole dinner is about 130,000yen for 2 with wine pairing.

Rating: 94/100 pts There is an impressive number of Michelin-rated French restaurants in Osaka, and having so many options can make it tough to choose one for a special occasion. However, I will assert that La Baie must be among the best. La Baie is French for "The Bay", and this accurately alludes to a strong use of seafood (though their meat dishes are fantastic as well). It is located on the 5th floor of the Ritz Carlton Osaka. While I'd instinctively avoid eating at a hotel restaurant, this is an exception. You are NOT simply paying for fancy cutlery and the prestigious Ritz Carlton name. La Baie is true, superlative-class cooking. Atmosphere is exquisite. There's a lit fireplace, paintings on each wall, highly decorative dish-ware, and only a small number of tables. The room itself is adorned so luxuriously that you'll feel like you're dining as nobility at Versailles in 18th century France. Service is good enough to corroborate this illusion. The overall culinary style is pronouncedly French. It's clear that they take pride in their bread and butter service, which included 3 warm bread varieties and imported French butter from Brittany (the chef's home region), brought out as a giant cylinder and freshly carved for each person. I did perceive some Japanese influence in ingredient selection, including: sparing use of seaweeds, a pumpkin bisque that also mixed in uni, and foie gras topped with a thin filet of unagi, and use of Japanese citrus hyuganatsu (which was in season) with a whipped cheese mouse for dessert. However, the use of Japanese ingredients was at no point dominating, instead acting as an tactful accent to the core French preparation. Osaka has a healthy number of high class, traditionally Japanese restaurants (Koryu, Asai, etc), as well as some that combine Japanese + French (Hajime, Fujiya 1935), but I recommend La Baie only if you want a full French experience. Expect to pay 16,000~ per person for dinner. Note that they also have a startlingly affordable lunch service where you can enjoy the same atmosphere and level of cooking for around half that. **Don't speak Japanese? No Problem** Call the hotel or book online ahead of time. Dishes are complex, but I'm quite certain they will have someone that can explain them in English.