Jean-Luc Rabanel

Reviews

• Dennis S.

  star star star star star 9 September 2026

  This is one of Provence's most highly regarded restaurants.  There is no menu - each meal is whatever the chef assembles for that day.  Lunch is either 7 courses or 11.
  
  We went for the seven course lunch.  It was preceded by five courses of amuses.  
  
  The decor was fabulous, both the rooms and the furnishings.  Very modern yet comfortable.
  
  The service for the first half hour was below horrible.  Once they moved you into the second room, the dining room, they got into their stride and service was ok.  I'm comfortable with paced French service.  This was never paced - it was simply erratic and unprofessional.  
  
  But the food was remarkable.  Each dish combined way too many favors and did them to perfection.  Each flavor came through yet none dominated.  Serving sizes were large enough to allow one to enjoy the dish fully.  Every dish was presented picture perfect, looking like a magazine cover.  I've never seen seven courses so well presented.
  
  So it was a remarkable meal, one I really enjoyed, yet I have absolutely no desire to ever return.

• aaron l.

  star star_border star_border star_border star_border 6 September 2026

  We got into town a little later than we had expected and we were starving. Hoping to find a nice meal after checking in to our hotel we ran to l'atelier de jean-luc rabanel in hopes of having a lovely dinner. We entered at about 8:15 knowing that they close at 9:30. They only had a few diners and we asked for a table.
  
  The maitre d ran his eyes from my shoes to my sweater and asked if we had reservations. I replied no as I looked around the practically empty restaurant. He then told us that they were closed....huh....the hours on the door and online said 9:30 over an hour away. I guess he either didn't like our look or he wanted to get out of work early.  A place with these prices should have gone the extra mile and at least offered to make reservations for us tomorrow.

• Bk H.

  star star star star star_border 3 September 2026

  Excellent service.  Farm to table fresh ingredients.
  My first Michelin dining experience in Arles Provence France.  Thank you Jean-Luc. Hope to visit another location.

• Dina E.

  star star star star star 1 September 2026

  First let me say, we are From Chicago and consider ourselves foodies, due to the variety and quality of food offered in the City and suburbs of Chicago!  Chef Rabanel has teo Michelin Stars for a reason:  Excellent service, it felt special from the moment we arrived. We decided to go for broke and try the 13-course meal. We were seated in an Asian, relaxed spa armosphere area for appetizers and our first wine pairing. Chef Rabanel prepared inventive, seductive starters imfusing vegetables with various glaces (ice cream) and citrus sauces. The meal is primarily exotic arrangements of root vegetables, fruit, herbs and greens with fish entrées.  There was one meat appetizer (similar to a steak tartare in a citrus sauce that my husband said he could have eaten four servings of! My husband and I Went for our 25th anniversary and would highly recommend it for a special occassion. They also offer a 10-course meal which would have been sufficient as well. Chef Rabanel came out to greet all guests which was a nice touch. We  thorougjly enjoyed our meal and appreciated all of the special extra touches. The maitre d' who also served some of the courses was bery knowledgeable and spoke French to me and English to my husband when explaining each course. The wine pairings went perfectly and you have a choice of 3-5 pairings.   Well worth the time and money, fabulous!!!

• irene s.

  star star_border star_border star_border star_border 17 August 2026

  My wife and i traveled through a lovely town of Arles all the way from Paris.  We followed Rick Steve books on Paris and  Provence to the tee. Paris's restaurants, cafes rather, were great! When the time came for the country side, Provence, things got a bit complicated, to say the least. The first restaurant we researched was the all- famous Atelier De Jean Luc Rabanel. And let me tell you...this is a no-go place. The appetizers were blent to say the least. Ingredients mixed, were out of  place by any stretch of the most ingenious palate. The hot dishes were over-salted(probably to counter the blend appetizers), the rest of the dinner was plainly intolerable!!!! The well-dressed french speaking waiter did inspired hope, but to no avail!!!! The main course as well as 5- course desert.....sucked BIG TIMES!!!
  As the saying goes in my home town of NEW-YORK. You keep your money where your mouth is!!!!