01/05/2026: Fantastic experience. Unique decor and a very warm atmosphere. Unpretentious yet incredibly delicious cuisine. This lunch will be one of our best memories of Marseille. Thank you!
29/04/2026: I have mixed feelings after going there for lunch today.
I visited La Boîte à Sardine with my ex in June 2016. I was thrilled to be able to bring her son today, as it was a real treat the first time.
We arrived around 2 p.m. There was still skate and sardines available. We were happy! Unfortunately, two women who arrived five minutes after us had made a reservation. Their order was therefore taken first.
I'm almost six months pregnant, and of what was left when we arrived, I could only eat sardines or skate. Unfortunately, when the ladies took the last skate, there was only one portion of sardines left to share (but we had eaten well that morning, so it wasn't a problem).
The waiter offered us a marinated anchovy sandwich to boost our order. I said I couldn't eat it because I'm pregnant and the anchovies weren't cooked. He insisted we order one. I didn't dare refuse him.
When the sandwich and sardines arrived, I gave half the sandwich to my son and served us some sardines, leaving a little on the side. The sardines were delicious. The sandwich was complicated. It was in a fried bun (I can't tolerate fried food anymore since I've been pregnant) and contained marinated anchovies, green leaves, and grilled and marinated red pepper. My son doesn't like red pepper. I removed some, but he still didn't like the sandwich. So I gave him what was left of the sardines.
The waiter came back. I explained the situation. He removed the anchovies and told me to eat the sandwich, which he said was very good. I ate a bite to be polite, but it wasn't very good. It was fried bread with a few pieces of bell pepper, some green leaves, and a little olive oil. There was no other option but to give up.
I worked in restaurants for ten years when I was younger. I don't like to be difficult, but I expected a small gesture of goodwill when I paid, after being forced to order a dish I couldn't eat. I didn't get any compensation; I had to pay full price. I paid for a meal I couldn't even eat, and then I had to buy something else outside because I was still hungry.
What's even more annoying is that when I left, I saw a woman sitting at the counter who had arrived long after us, eating a plate of panisse and cooked fish with a green sauce. Why didn't they offer me that dish instead of pressuring me to order something I couldn't eat, even if I wanted to?
I'm not sure I want to go back there. It's a shame. The sardines were very good, but the way they handled the situation was poor, and I'm very disappointed with my experience.
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