wow, the owner really lost it there. Even if he very strongly disagrees with your review, his reaction is extreme. I'm sure he'll regret it when he calms down.

If I received a reply like that, I'd probably also make it public.

Thanks Nir, especially coming from such an active member! I did wonder if I should just turn the other cheek but I just think it's totally unacceptable and I was actually very upset,you can disagree with anything I write, you can challenge anything I write, but you don't get to be an abusive bully!

Google Translate (not perfect but you should get the point):

Hello!
Finally, I note with no surprise that you have taken a Machiavellian pleasure to excite you about something completely absurd in my school! Bravo! You are strong! that's exactly what I told you there! ... people like you are dangerous criminals even for restaurant! Who do you think you?? "Fake restaurant ..." rest assured, you wore on your face you both traits and sadistic people frustrated able to lie on the net to give you a sordid pleasure of masturbation equivalence brain! Shame on you ... I will not repeat your arguments one by one dirty and deceitful, which does not report the truth! Speaking of decor that seems to be over!! I can not believe poor spot! this restaurant regularly makes headlines for its magnificent interior and exterior ... and the quality of its cuisine! read the other comments from the site!! but considering your words, you do not have very good taste! Restaurant ... a fake!! I can not believe ... we're all here Mrs. French! graduate and professional school hoteliere .. but I do not want to argue your free venom ... the Jam of the toad does not reach the white dove! you do not worth the trouble! Your post was premeditated and therefore it is criminal! you are an absolute disgrace! You talk about ... things that were not even in service the day you came So you try to hide your lying eyes of the internet ... your arrogance and your fill of unhappy people and translate extrêmmement dangerous for the ALL conservators WORLD! go to McDonalds is your level of perception gourmet, register on sites and off-center ... do not worry! I am not angry against YOU ... because you were so predictable! I even pity for you! (And god knows it's terrible to have pity for qqun) .... immediately remove the misleading post! if you are wrong in your skin every 2 ... go see a shrink, they are graduates for people like you!!!

IMO you should inform tripadvisor about this.

Ok first i have a question: You posted the review in January and the guy just sent you the email recently?

I found the review strange and actually impolite in spending so much time on the decor (the apparently fluid opening hours and bistro answer was fine to mention) and the bistro's private letter was even worse.

I say: Chill. The food was fine, wasn't it, but you didn't like the decor that day? You stepped on somebody's toes in public and they retorted angrily and over the top in private. Not such a big deal. Sure, inform TA, because of the rule break.. but..  ffs.. to both reviewer and owner.

I have done, as I said they absolute forbid private messaging by restauranters and hoteliers to reviewers and they take abuse very seriously.

Thanks for you effort Edward, I would translate it slightly differently:

Hello,

Finally,I noticed with no surprise that you have taken a certain Machiavellian pleasure in getting riled up about some completely absurd things about my establishment!Bravo!You are very brave!!That's exactly exactly what i said to you when you were there!...People like you are dangerous for restauranteurs, not to mention criminals!!!Who do you think you are??"fake restaurant" Be reassured,it's evident from your face that you have the two traits of being frustrated and sadistic that allow you to lie on the internet to give yourself a perverse pleasure which is like mental masturbation!Shame on you!I will not accept a word of your dirty, lying allegations,which do not tell the truth!!saying the decor is a tired,!!!!!I must be dreaming that you repeat such a slur!this restaurant is regularly featured in magazines/newspapers for it's magnificient interior and exterior...and the quality of it's food!!read the other comments on the site!!!but looking at your words,you do not have very good taste!!...a fake restaurant!!!! i must be dreaming..we are all French here madame!!!with diplomas from hotel schools and professionials...but i have no desire to respond to your gratuitous venom...your mudslinging will not stick!!(literally,the toad's spittle will not stain a white dove)  you are not worth my time!!your post is premediated and therefore criminal!!!you are an absolute disgace!!you talk about things that did not happen on the day that you came, therefore you are trying to hide your lies from the eyes of internet users....your arrogance and self importance make for very unhappy people who are extremely dangerous for ALL restauranteurs in the WORLD!!!go to McDonalds if that is your idea of gastronomy,sign yourself up for deranged websites .....and make yourself feel better!!!!i am absolutely not annoyed with YOU...as you were so predictable!!!i only have pity for you!!!(and god knows it's terrible to have pity for someone)....immediately get rid of this lying post!if the two of you are so unhappy(in your skin)go see a psychiatrist,they are qualified to deal with people like you!!!!!!!!!

Complete lack of grammar,capitals,overuse of exclamations and emphasis as used in the original post.

As I said I thought I wrote a  perfectly reasonable review,please feel free to read it.I have nothing to hide and published it freely rather than private messaging a ton of personal abuse.

Nother question. You said is a faked up French bistrot. Why is that? I think the guy got more pissed off at that

Absolutely, I'm not sure when he posted this, I'll check, but because he didn't use the official comments section, I wasn't aware that he had posted anything, if you get a  private message on tripadvsor it isn't connected to your email.I hadn't been on tripadvisor for a while and I was only on it  yesterday because I had just posted two reviews on Lyonnaise restaurants (both excellent) when I noticed I had a private message and found this, so I have only been aware of it since yesterday.

To be honest, I thought the review wasn't that bad. It was just your subjective opinion and to be honest you can find a lot more damning reviews on restaurants and hotels on TA which most owners will usually take on the chin.

The owner's reaction was, how can I put this politely ... oh yeah - f--king nutso! What's worrying is he had five months to calm down before writing that!

I must try this place out thought - not because I want to see how good the food is or what the decor's like ... it's just that I miss watching Fawlty Towers and would look forward to catching the live version.

It's a new build, replica French bistro in a shopping mall.

OK question: How would you differentiate the replca French bistro from the real one? Obviously you must have noticed something since you wrote it in your review

Just very new,very shiny and with no real atmosphere but that takes years-  it had only been open a few months, they'd used a lot of black laminate wood which unfortunately chips really easily in the areas of constant use - to be honest it was an off the cuff on my impressions.

Ha!HaHa!

Right I'm done,I'll leave tripadvisor to sort this out as it completely contravenes their rules.

Thank you all for your comments and input,the sun shining the Fête de Musique is on and I have an awful lot of better things to think about !

So you agree that something was impossible to happen in a few months and then compain about it? And also you complain about the place being new? Seriously?

I have to admit in the beginning i was thinking the guy lost a customer in me as i would never go there after this thread. But now, after i read your posts i kind of see his point. Ok he was a bit extreme but also kind of justified.

Anw shame is not open on Sundays as i would have gone there tonight. I guess next week will do as well. Maybe this thread was a blessing in disguise for him.

Enjoy the fete. Its too much of a nice day to be indoors :)

It may be the Fete de la musique, but you started this and many people have taken the chance to give you some clarity, myself included, so let's go all the way shall we?  After all it's a Sunday and I have a bit of time on my hands to consider a subject I am fond of "what makes people do what they do". 

I agree that your feedback was balanced and did not insult the restaurant and was a simple rendition of how you felt.  In fact your note is constructive and even finishes by say that people should still try it out (even if I think your last paragraph is redundant repeating what you have already said a bit more eloquently. 

As for Edward's translation, I'm not sure where that comes from but it looks like google translate.  I am bilingual French and English and the subtleties do not come through in that translation.  My sense is that linguistic and cultural differences are at the origin of this deteriorated exchange ie - things have gotten lost in translation - and that most probably started at the restaurant verbally.  Of course as with everything, we can always get to an effective point of exchange if people have the "intention" do do so and in the absence of that and other difficulties problems will arise, and this is evident in certain parts of the text.  However, his response is completely off the mark and unnecessary, and someone evidently marked by rage (why would need to be establish - but has something to seemingly with former rating issues).

Now rage gives rise to rage like petrol on a fire and for me as he was writing the trigger word was (he was no doubt already sensitive) "fake restaurant".   He has taken "faked up bistro" in the literal sense, when you refer to the genre and choice of decor.  He's taken that as a personal attack as not even being worthy of being a restaurant, and therefore you bring into question his identity - note how he response by saying "but we're all French here" (going from the decor to the personal, and as if a Bistro is not about the decor but the people).  Once that personal trigger was hit he ignited his own fuse and went into fight or flight mode and clearer chose the former which is evident by the great excessive zeal and his own self contradiction. 

(“...When our fight or flight system is activated, we tend to perceive everything in our environment as a possible threat to our survival. By its very nature, the fight or flight system bypasses our rational mind—where our more well thought out beliefs exist—and moves us into "attack.." mode.) http://www.thebodysoulconnection.com/EducationCenter/fight.html

His signs of loosing it:   “..mais je ne désire pas rétorquer à votre venin gratuit… »  He says that he will not retort with the same venom as you.  Yet I do not see your venom and he clearly goes on to be as venomous as a black adder (and certainly less amusing than “the” black adder).  He then spins out of control, speaking of lies, arrogance, being extremely dangerous, for ALL (no such thing as “all”) the restaurants of the WORLD (as if you had several life times and enough money to do that).   He talks about McDonald (I suspect trying to stereo type “all” the English as having no culinary discernment. Then he talks about trip adviser as being warped (no he attacks the website and clearly in a frenzy – like a dog going from a bone and eating it but the jaws are looking for something else to bit on.  Perplexingly, he states that he is not at all angry (denial and loss of all objectively as the irrational mind is now well in play).  He in fact goes on to say he’s not even annoyed against you (after having clearly insulted you), as if you were a poor creature not in charge of your faculties (let’s call that projection).   In fact the projection continues, and indeed there is some form of autosuggestion there, as it is him who should have recourse to a psy.

In striking a balance here, you were clearly upset (or shaken) by this response otherwise you would not have had to post it on Glocals and seek other people’s opinions.  That tells me that you are perhaps uncertain of your posture here and so bring into question your own judgement.  Perhaps you did judge when you should have exercised discernment instead (judgement refers to error or tainted views whereas discernment refers to a greater truth).   Eg. Fake Bistro as opposed to what?  What makes a bistro fake, or not, that is just subjective.   Fake or not, the staff were nice and friendly isn’t that what determines the quality of a restaurant experience?  You then go on to talk about your “irritation” (not the word) and digress into restaurants in Geneva (all restaurants?)   While they might have specific opening and closing time as advertise those are the general “intended” hours of business that they published at the time of printing this information. 

Perhaps that day certain problems did not make it possible for them to respect that – such as staff problems, etc.  Did you ask to enquire?   It would not seem so, as your Husband points out to them that they should have opened as their advertising suggests.  Were you and your husband irritated or disappointed at not getting what it is you wanted or thought you deserved?  You clearly had certain expectations that were not met, and rather than letting go of those you clung onto them and gave the restaurant a bit of morality.  Is your moral stance any better than theirs?  Rather than your husband « politely » « telling » the restaurant manager what he thought, your husband could have asked « what had cause the change in time, and so made an enquiry rather than make a judgement.  (As regard the term polite, I know that it’s a British trait to say something cutting often from lack of tact and offend a person and then behind they quickly follow with “only joking”.  Having grown up in the UK, I could never see what was funny about sarcasm masked up as a joke).

Anyway, my guidance for what it’s worth would have been to let go of all of this and not even posted it on glocals, yet you did so you questioned your own judgement.  You were correct to question your own judgement as it is in a much more subtle polite form misplaced.  Again, I would not post his answer for as Jesus said while bearing his cross, in reference to his disciple and his tormentors – forgive them for they know not what they do.  Just forgive, and don’t be drawn into this fight you already have the victory of being able to learn from this experience.    And forgive me for my long note; I don’t do cursory very well. 

Um...I just gave my opinion on what I saw,which wasn't to my taste  which I'm perfectly entitled to do -nothing about my post justifies that response I'm afraid,which not "a bit extreme" but absolutely out there ! but hey, good luck if decide to go.

You do realize I used a free translation program, right? Zero effort.

I would be interested to know what happened exactly during this *event*. It seems, if I believe what the guy wrote to you that you had a kind of interesting discussion ?

(a mention for the quality of the insults, I had rarely read such thing...)

allez au Mc Do!! hahahah what an answer!! I want to know that guy!!

Buy club deal anyone?

Hi, thanks for sharing your experience!

According to the company's website this restaurant has a very high standard: "Welcome, more than a restaurant, a friendly place to taste a generous kitchen."(please see below).

Why not ask them how the situation you described compares to this company standard?

They have excellent reviews on iTaste tho:

http://www.itaste.com/list/restaurant/fr/geneve/le-bistrot-de-charlotte.html

So how does this friendly letter compare to the excellet reviews this restaurant has 

Well as a manager of an establishement and someone who eats out regularly, I can see both sides of the coin!

As a manager it can be very fustrating and annoying when working hard on a concept (this is a highly stressful environment where things are often taken very personally) when someone criticises it, but with experience you develop a thick skin for these things and learn to depersonalise it. Is something 'faked up' because it was recently built or even using cheap materials? what is the standard for deciding something is genuine or not? Does a bistro only earn the right to be authentic is it was opened in the 1800s?

This doesn't excuse the managers attitude, but I completely understand where he's coming from.

Maybe they normally do open as advertised, but that day they were understaffed, did not receive a full delivery of goods, many things could have happened that day that brought about this situation, maybe it was the managers day off and had to be called in to cover!

Also very often when people complain, they come across, maybe intentionally or not, as having a superior attitude as if they know best, which can be very insulting. As they think they are in the right to complain about these things, the offended manager comes over as not only running an under par establishement but by being rude and arrogant.

Sometimes we need to consider other factors not just take what we see as being gospel truth.

Just my two pennies worth

My only guess is that the owner had a momentary lapse of reasoning. 

From the reviews online (and from my own experience eating at the place), it seems he runs his place and serves clients well. From the letter he sent Hitch, it seems he's out of it. 

I bet that when he goes back to normal mode, he'll be sorry for what he wrote. On top of being just nasty, his reply is very bad for business. 

Exactly my question.

It seems that there has been a discussion on site prior to the evaluation put on-line.

To be honest, I have also been there and I would not call the bistro as a fake one in the middle of the shopping mall.

It is facing the street and is next to a passage and it is just 2 min from Four Seasons Hotel des Bergues Geneva. Technically speaking down town.

We have been there with friends a few times and never had a problem. Neither with the service, nor with the opening hours.

I did not look at the floor but obviously I do not expect for a brunch of CHF 40ish with the same styling as I had for example the other day in Hotel Sacher in Vienna or I would get at Beau Rivage...

I think some objectivity is necessary and I guess if someone called your work a fake, you would also freak out, especially if people globally can see it.

I think it would have been just fair if also the other party has a right to defend themselves before their reputation is badly affected.

Agree that this rant from the person whoever wrote is really not a master piece but I would like to know what happened in the restaurant as we have never experienced such a bad treatment there and obviously the treatment often what you get is a reflection of your very own behavior!

Sweet of you nonetheless !

Agreed: It is not very professionel

Just an outside thought - as the restaurant took so long to respond, and responded by email rather than on TA itself, is it in any way possible this did NOT come from the restauranteur, but from a third party with a grudge against said restaurant? I don't know how "mechanically" he sent the message - which may discount this theory.

Oh dear, that was a bit out a blow out.

I agree you should inform TA, they can then action. I read your review and In my opinion its not bad, I have wrote much worse about some places, and have taken the hotels response on my post very happily. When I read rants of hotel managers in response to critiscm, this also helps me to decide on the business. This guy obviously has issues and this was a premeditated attack. If it was me I would post another review with his mail, just to really get things ruffled...but thats just because I'm a trouble maker!!

That's quite an understatement.

The owner replied in a deranged and lunatic way.  This is inadmissible. 

Hitchcockblonde, well done posting the letter here.  You should also alert TripAdvisor and the FRC. Your review was balanced, fair and in no way should have caused such a reaction.  Someone that can't stand criticisms should not be in contact with the public.

But hey, he'll then probably use the old excuse "I didn't write it, someone hacked my account".

There are 2 sides, people that can't stand criticism, but also people that can't resist giving advice on everything.

With what I get from the story it looks like that there was a discussion on the restaurant regarding internet reviews. I can understand if the manager is pissed off when a customer says to him I'll use the review as a weapon and then he does it. The system seems unfair here.
We weren't there, we have one version of the story, I find it a bit unfair to judge on only one version.
Just my 2 cents...

Um, TripAdvisor is a site whose users are supposed to give advice.  It's its main point.

If a owner disagrees on a review, he is allowed to comment on that review.

And let's not forget that the reviewer is a paying customer.

I've always had a good impression / meal and service at Bistrot Charlotte....

I'll go back for sure.

IMHO, there probably isn't a restaurant or bar in the world that hasn't upset someone for some reason. Ive had a few, and when I do I just dont go back there.

Daniele,

you again missed a line.

The lovely young lady already had a "discusion onsite".

"!You are very brave!!That's exactly exactly what i said to you when you were there!.."

And she did not reveal the facts from there and to be honest sometimes the British have a certai superior way of telling people what they should do, so I would not be very suprised if that was the starting point for all.  

For me it sounds as she may have said something like "I will post a bad review about you because you did dare to close at 3 pm just to push them a bit." You never know.

As a Swiss, I can say that service in French Switzerland and France is very bad, on average (with some nice exceptions).

Customer is usually not king, quite the opposite... and feedback is NOT welcome (it is even worse in some other countries that I will not name :)

In fact, the only area that I know of where service is taken seriously is North America.

If you want good service in Geneva, stick to the luxury hotel bars and restaurants

In my opinion this whole customer is king and they can do as they wish because they pay money is the biggest load of Bulls**t that has ever been spewed.

Just because I chose to work in a customer oriented profession does not mean the client has the right to treat me in any which way he so choses just because he or she decided to pay 10 francs for a beer or 40 francs for something to eat.

Yes the customer is to be treated with respect, receive the goods they have paid for in the best possible conditions.

But to have a customer who believes they can treat you like a servant or even a slave because they are a paying customer, treats you like an inferior or even tells you how they think you should do your job or run your business, which you have spent many years and much money setting up your business and working towards perfecting your trade is completely unacceptable and is just as disgraceful and outrageous as the email the manager/owner sent

The client has the right to professional courteous service, preferably with a smile and a relaxing environment in which to enjoy the custom they are paying for - this DOES NOT include the right for the customer to expect to be able to figuratively kick the person providing the service up the arse and treat them like crap.

If you walk in to any of my establishements expecting to act and behave as you please to me or any of my staff because you are a paying customer, I will tell you to go f**k yourself - we are service providers not servants!

Don't worry I am not the manager at the bistrot de charlotte, just someone who has worked in this industry for many years, yes I know that some clients will be difficult especially after consuming alcohol, some have high standards, I always welcome suggestions, ideas, I also expect to be treated with the same respect I give to my clients.

I'm sure you'd be very pleased if you own a business and someone threatens you that he will post a bad review and this website after giving you advices on how you should do your job.

I'm not saying that this is what happened, but it could be, we weren't there....

hey dude, I don t know where to go tonight, what about experience this "Fake" bistrot by ourselves?

Although I can understand the defensiveness over the "faked up" remark, may I just say thanks to the original poster for holding the place accountable for the opening times. It's incredibly frustrating when places here open later or close earlier than advertised, like when supermarkets don't even let you in 15 minutes before closing time, or when the agents at the SBB travel agency yell "fermé" and try to shoo you away if you try to ask a question five minutes before closing. And don't even get me started on the Silhouette staff barking at you to leave when there are still several minutes left even on their clocks that are set a couple minutes ahead to begin with. I mean, come on, people, this is Switzerland of all places. Why don't restaurants, shops, and other locales abide by the times posted?

Hi,I've not commented on this for a while because as I said much earlier in this thread -I'd decided to leave it up to TA to sort it out, but I just had to thank you for your  very sensible support and input.I've been astonished at the amount of people who seem to think that this is a perfectly ok response to a polite suggestion and a reasonable but not perfect review. So many people have said basically "you asked for it"- you made a comment/suggestion/didn't like the decor/may have upset him because he was stressed/ may have had a superior attitude and on and on.In what universe is this possibly an ok response to a reasonable review?

I think he is totally entitled to complain about a review- he should have that right and I would have had no problem with that. I always look at the rejoinders by hotels and restaurants on TA and judge them on the grace with which they handle them -I don't think that having a bad review(and this wasn't even a bad review!) and handling it well counts against a business at all.

But..it was the fact he chose not to avail himself of the system,he chose to personally harrass me and hurl personal abuse at me by private message-beacause he tohought he could have a bit of an anger wank and he wouldn't be published and he wouldn't be found out.

Unfortunately I despise bullies and I despise cowards! interesting though isn't it -he doesn't actually seem to have a problem with TA or other social media when the reviews are good, I'm guessing he's not trying to get his lawyer to get him off the site now! It is only when they aren't perfect -he decides to cyber bully people and hurl abuse! Hypocritical much?

Again just wanted to thank you for your support and your sense.Thank you.

Oops this was meant to be directed to a couple of specific people-who i wanted to PM -how do I do that ? Having a blonde moment ..sorry!

Thank you! I find it so unprofessional and irritating! And the don't care attitude doesn't help!

Er .. did you trip and accidentally open the thread, write a 4+ plus paragraph response and then hit send?

No, I just wanted to direct Thanks at two specific people and couldn't work out how to it,but anything i write is out there for anyone to see.

>>this whole customer is king and they can do as they wish because they pay money is the biggest load of Bulls**t that has ever been spewed.

>>I will tell you to go f**k yourself - we are service providers not servants!

In French we say: "Le client est roi"

It is an expression, which means one should not take it literally...

However, what happens in reality is that too often in Geneva, the customer is treated like shit... Which should also be taken figuratively :)

Ive never read "Trip advisor" for restaurant reviews in Switzerland in the 12yrs I have lived here..... Im guessing its something non locals read before travelling here.

There are much better local restaurant guides like "restorang" where locals comment on restaurant service/food etc.

Even better I listen to what friends say / suggest when looking for a new place to eat.

i doubt the "TA" review will affect Bistrot Charlottes business much, if at all.

Ditto this thread... its a place mostly locals go to in the evening for drinks and dinner, and bankers go to for a good cost effective lunch. Nothing will change.

An expression that has become an expectation and is often taught in customer service training programmes.

I would also appreciate, that when you qoute my posts you do not remove all the context and chose only the parts that suit what you want to say.

To add even more clarity I will only tell clients "to go f**k them selves* when they believe it is acceptable to behave in an abusive and derrogatory manner towards myself or my staff because they are a paying customer.

Allow me to give you some concrete examples:

1. A group of lads come into the bar, have a good evening, and then decide they are going to have a beer fight, which consequently resulted in my walls, furniture (upholstered benches) tvs and floors being covered in beer. They were ejected by myself from the bar, and the justification for their behaviour was "we are paying customers we can behave as we wish, how dare you kick us out" and a member of their group consequently attempted to physically assult me. They were then given a parting "go f**k your selves" and urged to go on their way.

2. Some clients came into the bar, though it would be amusing that as they were being served by one of my barmaids to insult her and make derrogotary remarks about her appearence - they were also removed from the bar and told to go f**k themselves

In every time I have been this unpleasent to a client, the client absoloutely deserved it.

There are other times I have been a bit off with clients, after realising this, I have always sought to make amends, through the way of apology and complimentary bevrages, not only to the person treated wrongly but to the whole group if they were with one.

I am not perfect, and when having a bad day, can sometimes be a bit off, but I will never tell a client to go f**k themselves unless they deserved it.

Seriously?!?! My posts were in no way directed at the behaviour of anyone person, just a general reflection on the whole culture around customer service. And they certainely were not directed towards you. The only person i made a direct comment to was the person who i felt misquoted one of my posts. I am in no way means or shape telling anyone on this forum to go f**k themselves.

Hitchcockblo..... youre misreading his quotes...calm down... he NO WAY told you to go f&4k yourself...chill out

Thank you Hitch for your apology, I also apologise if I gave the wrong impression.

I have also had my fair share of bad experiences it is the same on both sides of the fence, with clients and waiting staff/managers/owners - you have some amazing people who it is a pleasure to be in their company, you've got some that are normal, and those that you hope never to come into contact again.

I would just like to state again for clarity, that I completely agree with you that the managers attitude and actions were disgusting and unacceptable and should never be tolerated.

> For me it sounds as she may have said something like "I will post a bad review about you because you did dare to close at 3 pm just to push them a bit." You never know.

We have no way to know what they said.  Let's stick to the facts -- the review and the crazy reaction from the owner.

> I'm sure you'd be very pleased if you own a business and someone threatens you that he will post a bad review and this website after giving you advices on how you should do your job.

When you own a business which puts you in contact with the public you have to know how to deal with that.  Even when facing an abusive customer (and I believe hitchcockblonde was not one) you cannot afford to react like this.  You can put the customer at his place while being professional and polite instead of going nuts and losing all credibility like the owner did.

> obviously the treatment often what you get is a reflection of your very own behavior!

No, often what you are accused of is a reflection of their own self.  This never ceases to amaze me.  See how the owner writes that hitchcockblonde is "frustrated, unhappy and dangerous and should go see a psychiatrist" -- no further comment needed. 

right !!

Thanks Charlie !!

Like i can see, my words was really bad interprate. First of all, my motivation to spend so many times for answer to this customers was to put back a bit of truth and correct some words which makes me nervous ! I don't have at all the pretentious to make everyone happy in my restaurant BUT when the reality is volunteering turn on bad side for makes a review more sexy…it can not make me passive and naive ! It was the case !! When you see all the time spending by all the team and the energy its needs for grow up the business, YOU CAN'T LEAVE THE PEOPLE KILL YOU so easily ! 
And believe me, my words was the same level than their lie i have read ! No more no less…..
If my words was shocking a bit, i apologize ! OK no problem….BUT we are professional and i never see this kind of personal attack toward me and the restaurant on so quirky details. That's why, when this 2 customers left from my restaurant, i was sure that they will send their biggest patriot missile on us ! 
Thanks for all the people supporting us, and i invite the others which are giving some terrific advices ( call television, send at all website, join OBAMA, etc etc etc….) to come in the restaurant and see how the things are makes ! because it's never good TO SPEAK ON SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE NO IDEAS !  Take the 2 versions, think about, drink a tea…and DECIDE !
It's only FAIR on this way !
THX U
BRUNO
Owner & Defender of THE TRUTH ( but unfortunately not rich to have so many free time for excited me on web;-))

And i forgot to mention....

we are making 15% discount on each party from 4 people and more ( only evening until 30 september..)

Also nice to makes good news after all this attack toward us..;-(

YOU SEE....We are not holding a grudge against someone ))

see you at Bistrot de Charlotte

I assume Bruno (The Great Defender of the Truth) is the owner of the restaurant.

@Bruno: your might be great at running a restaurant, but from what I see you suck at treating clients. The letter you sent to the client on Tripadvisor is simply crazy (and very bad for your business), and it does not matter how angry or frustrated you felt. As a business owner in the service industry, you can't treat clients like that and get away with it.

I've been to your restaurant and I like the food, but I hate your attitude and it makes me feel bad to give my money to someone who acts this way.   

@Bruno

Ok so far we heard her side of the story. What about your side of the story? What did she do when she was there to make you react this way?

Mark...life is very simple...Don't come again ! point....

You can say that:

You don't like the service, I accept

You don't like the food, I accept

You don't like the design, I accept

You don't like the wines, I accept

BUT IF you lie about something...I WILL NOT ACCEPT IT ! Point...

if you don't understand this very easy thing..unfortunatly..i can do nothing...

It's the resume of my words towards this 2 customers...That's it !

and it's nothing about service job etc etc etc etc....The truth mark !! The truth !!

@ bruno. what did she lie about?

I know I'm very late to this discussion, but I wanted to congratulate you on your use of the term "anger wank".  Excellent!  I look forward to using it myself.  In fact I'm tempted to visit Mr. "Clearly Too Psyhco To Be in Charge of Anything - Especially Not A Restaurant" and complain about a dirty knife, just so I'll have a context in which to use it.

Andy

As a restaurant manager id fire any employee who dared talk to a customer who left unsatisfied like that.  Manager, owner, server, busboy it doesn't matter.   If someone leaves unhappy you either A.  shrug it off and keep going about your business or B. Try to get them to come in and give it a second chance.  That emailed response obviously did nothing productive and more than anything just gives credence to the fact that it's probably a poorly run establishment if the owner/manager has the opinion that's the way to do business.  That email was about the equivalent to a guy insulting a woman after she turns down his request for a date.  Childish and unproductive.  I'd almost pay to see how he reacts to someone who complains in person. It would be worth a trip just to see that in action. I picture someone being beaten with a stale baguette. 

I think, rather than discuss, this is the time for the restaurant to feature on Buy Club

Another point about trip advisor which people should bear in mind is that if there are 20 good reviews and two bad ones, ignore the bad ones unless you have a bad experience there yourself.  

I just wanted to say this: If you have a bad experience with a restaurant write it. If moderators don't like it. They will delete it... Ok? You can feel frustrated that your review was not taken into consideration... But end of the story....

However, being a french speaker, reading what the restaurant wrote back... I was very surprised. It is really the level of elementary school.. It is not a smart answer... There is no dignity in that...  Cannot understand that adults behave this way...

Thank you for sharing it, forget about this restaurant, and be happy :-)