Restaurant La Marquière

Shortly after we arrived in the amazing old city of Carcassonne we came here to get some lunch. We didn't make a reservation but were lucky to get a table upstairs. Our Bulldog was welcome as well, that was very nice. The setting here is stunning. You feel like being set back 500 years. Lots of stone, wood...lots of charm. Waiting staff was excellent, very friendly and helpful. There are some set-menus available but also lots of great items à la carte. Since we didn't plan on spending too much time, we just went for some main dishes. Until these arrived we were served some tasty and free olives and olive chutney. Two glasses of local Rosé with the meal. My wife had the Cassoulet and I went for a house special: The Foie Gras Ravioli, with a piece of Foie Gras on top. The Cassoulet was wonderful. Tender meat (duck, pork, sausage) and a very rich and tasty broth. Beans with a little bite left...as it should be. Perfection. The Foie Gras Ravioli were equally great. Wonderful tasting Foie, Ravioli cooked to perfection. And the Foie Gras escalope on top tender and oh, so tasty. Cooked perfectly on point. A really wonderful meal in a wonderful town. Really a lunch to remember. Prices are a bit on the higher side, but considered the location, the setting, the quality of the ingredients and the wonderful staff it's still a very very fair price you pay. Loved it. Highly recommended.

Amazing meal at La Marquiere with excellent service. We are pescatarians and had no issues finding options on the menu. My 3 courses were vegetarian and everything was tasty. For dessert, I had the chocolate sphere and it was spectacular and tasty. Highly recommend this restaurant for a memorable dining experience.

The goat cheese is the best I've ever had and the butter for the bread is to die for. I loved the beef is excellent but the sea bass is the real winner, truly amazing. All of the desserts were excellent.

Should you be so lucky to come to this corner of the universe, then by all means, treat yourself to this restaurant. I found the food, wine, service and ambiance flawless. The updated exteriors and interiors set a welcome contrast with the ancient surroundings of the medieval city. While this restaurant does a great deal of business during the very busy summer season, I noticed in November that many locals were celebrating special occasions here. Carcassonne, aside from its often visited fortress, is a small French town where some of the greatest of French virtues, including great dining, friendliness and a love of life are well preserved. This restaurant certainly embodies all of that.

We just left the restaurant, after spending more than three and a half hours there. First of all, the meal was top notch. BUT, this is the first time in my life (65 years old, frequent diner) that I've left a restaurant without leaving a tip. Our bill, for two of us, was 187 euros. The food was great, but for the first time ever, the staff fed into the generally false stereotype of "rude French." The service was OK until I tried to get an espresso and an after dinner drink. For over an hour, I attempted to get the attention of our waiter as he darted in and out of the room ignoring us. He had conversations with a couple of French speaking tables, but continued to look right past us the way busy waiters sometimes do. When my wife finally got up to approach him, his response was, "Why didn't you ask us?!" We were the first ones in the restaurant and the last ones to leave. My wife and I are celebrating 50 years together by traveling through Spain, France and Portugal. This experience has left such a bad taste in my mouth that I just feel like going home! It's a real shame since, as I said, the food was top notch. But for that kind of money, I expect ATTENTIVE service. Believe me, we have travelled extensively throughout Europe and this was not a case of just letting us relax at the end of our meal without rushing us (which is quite common in Europe and a positive thing). This was a blatant case of being completely inattentive to us. We are diners with extensive experience with fine dining in our entire family, so we have realistic expectations and we always treat the waitstaff with nothing but respect and courtesy. Tonight was simply unacceptable. It's a real shame, because it completely ruined what should have been a great dining experience. We made these reservations months ago and this was supposed to be a highlight of our 16 day trip through Europe. As stated previously, we have nothing negative to say about the food, but overall the service was probably the worst we've ever experienced! I feel bad writing such a negative review but I can't ignore being treated like an afterthought.

Top notch place that serves beautiful food. Definitely go if you can - this restaurant is a stand out among the many around Le Cite serving haphazard version of French fast food to the masses.