James L.
Yelp
The People of Lyon are FAR more friendly here than Paris! They are actually helpful when we appear (looks aren't deceiving) totally lost!
We got seated (a bit tightly) close to this (slightly) older couple in the "Hole in the Wall" we chose for lunch yesterday. The seating is mostly "bench-style", but still with chairs with multiple tables placed together to maximize capacity if not entry and exit. We were literally seated dead center in the middle of the room/restaurant. When we were finished, we had to (we did Not mind) wait a bit for those around me to sufficiently clear in order to leave. Refer to to liquor below.
Apparently this is a Local lunch crowd hangout. Everyone seemed to know each other...then there was us! I was (having just come from Paris, and being American - they don't seem to hate us in Lyon - Americans nor Asians) skeptical of the seating at first because I was clearly going to be blocked in tightly. BUT...this restaurant had a "daily menu" which the non-English-speaking Owner comes and explains to you. Even this system of how orders were taken had to be explained to us by our sincerely helpful and warmly friendly neighbors. They took us through the menu selections with the Owner, as it turned out, while they were having their order taken too.
The food was great. The atmosphere was very neighborly. Obvious businessmen & women tightly packed in with probable retirees...and a couple of foreigners - us.
At the end, the owner brought around, poured us a bit (and left it on our table) a big bottle of what turned out to be a grape-based, 47% alcohol (94 proof! Definitely not for the young!), liquor that tasted like scotch to my uneducated palate & surprised (stunned) nose. See photos.
It was surprisingly smooth but Strong! Gratis in France??!!
We were going to return there today, but the couple suggested another place close-by for variety. (They are friends of the Owner...hope he doesn't have this translated!), but apparently were justifiably proud of their city and wanted us to experience it.
This was just one of many instances of helpful friendly people that we encountered in Lyon. Just so happens to be related to my review for Yelp.
If you come to France (our first time), you owe it to yourself to include the REAL France with a casual gastronomic delight like Lyon!