We had a lovely charcuterie board and wine in an beautiful setting that seemed to take one back in time. This has made happy memories for our group of diners! read more

Take a picture outside and go, if you really fancy its famous history. DO NOT waste your money there. Worest French food I have ever tasted in my life. But the price is much higher than any other restaurants during our two week's trip. Service is terribly rude. We ordered one apertizer and main courses (steak and octopus). They came out all together. The octopus was deep fried without any taste. The steak is bland. When I asked for some source for the steak. The waiter looked at me with bland stare: "we only have cheese". We took a couple of bites, complained to the hostess. Both her and the waiter carelessly apologized but still charged us full price. read more

So looking at the other reviews, I had a very different experience. We just got drinks, not food although they didn't have either of what we were looking for (dad: cognac; me the Americano they had on the menu--they were out of Campari.) That said, it was a perfectly pleasant tourist experience, which is what we were expecting at a place like this. Some context: It wasn't food, just afternoon cocktails because vacation. I speak almost no French, but try, and had some phrases down. I deeply, deeply love Van Gogh (I was an art minor and painted a bunch of works in his style for class studies, read Letters to Theo, and other non-fiction works on my own time). Went with my dad on our own after a morning guided tour of the city. We came up on this place on a weekday and learned that France shuts down in the afternoon. Looking back, I realize I'd kind of heard this but work and life got crazy, so I didn't do my usual level of travel due diligence. That also means I cut places a lot of slack because I don't know local customs, schedules, norms, or (much) language. The entire place was dead, but the sign said clearly open, and there was a lady in the doorway, watching. She saw us look and welcomed us, gave us menus, and in our poor French and her poor English, we eventually figured things out, totally good-naturedly on both sides. I learned a martini in France is not the gin-or-vodka + dry vermouth you might expect in the US, but instead, was (I think) sweet vermouth and lemon. Wasn't what I was expecting, but hey: the price was reasonable, it was fine, and a new experience--and isn't that why you travel? My dad asked for cognac--they didn't have that but had armagnac. I have no idea as to this particular label's quality, but Dad enjoyed it. They definitely play up and have decorated to match Van Gogh's painting. It's clearly catering to tourists--this place was dead at 2pm, but the coffee place across the alley was hopping. (Sometimes, you gotta tourist, you know? Just really know why you want to be there so you can enjoy it for what it really is.) It was nice just to sit for a bit, enjoy where we were, watch the foot traffic, and be together. I have some unabashedly bucket-list things, and seeing some of Van Gogh's Arles was one of mine for France. We didn't order food although they brought potato chips/crisps out with our drink order, gratis. Can't speak to quality, but the menu prices looked very reasonable to me, though. read more

Worst food and service in France. We stopped at the cafe since many places already closed in the evening. We got menus in English but half of the items still listed in French that was very confusing. After my husband asked about one menu item he was told it's fish and it was listed in fish section. They brought muscles that had terrible smell and looked very dry with white paste on them. We didn't eat muscles and returned the plate. We still got charged for it. Fish soup looked very unappetizing with brown color liquid, no fish pieces and my stomach got upset almost right away after i ate. It has overpriced and tasteless food. So, if you are in Arles, don't waist your money in that cafe. It looks cute from outside, make a picture and walk away. I would never eat there again. They requested cash to pay bill without letting us know ahead of time. This cafe is a tourist trap. Don't get into it, walk away, read more

Not sure why this came recommended to us. From the get go, it was awkward - we wanted to sit along the wall, where seating was cushioned, but were directed to one of the tables toward the outside, even though there were tons of vacant tables. Waiter service was lackadaisical. They couldn't bother to pour us any cold water on a hot day - the water they gave us was room temperature. As a matter of fact, we got the sense that the waiter just did not want us there. read more

Never been, but Vincent Van Gogh is pretty sick. Like hey, dudes made so many paintings and this garbage cafe influenced the man, if he likes it $h!t I do too. read more

Dreadful. The service here is rude and otherwise non-existent. If you enjoy being treated like human garbage, then this is the place for you. The tables and flatware were dirty, and the wait staff could barely contain their disdain for human life. The food was acceptable, at least, but unless you are a masochist, then it is not worth the experience. read more

Everything about this restaurant was bad. The waitress forgot to bring our bottle of wine. After asking she brought an open bottle with no label. Cote du Rhone the menu said at 25.5 Euros. Could have been uncle Vinny's back yard for all we knew. Food was average except for the tomato salad she never brought. After getting the bill adjusted for the salad, which required two trips in to talk to someone of higher authority, they refused to take my wife's AMEX card. After going in person to talk to the manager my wife spent several minutes with the managers and agreed to take part payment in cash (I had left my wallet in our hotel room by mistake) and physically hold her AMEX card until we walked back to the hotel to get the remaining cash (16 euros). So the wife returns and gives her a 50 note, then is short changed 2 euros. She had to turn around and get her correct change. You pay for the name and Vincent Van Gogh's painting of the restaurant. The current owners don't run a good establishment. There are several good restaurants in the square. read more

I would prefer NO stars! Awful...lousy wait staff, worse food. This place should be avoided at all cost. Told us their credit card machine wasn't working...their solution was to have sit and wait or pay cash...no! We acted as if we were leaving and suddenly...the machine worked! Served pastis already mixed...in all my years in contact with France, I have never heard of serving Pastis pre-mixed. Just not the place you want to spend time or money. So many wonderful options...we made a big mistake. read more

Horrible service and poor quality food. I ordered a Rib Eye steak medium-rare. Came out 1.5 hours later burned. 3 tables next to us sat much after us of parties of 4,7 and 5 and all finished eating before our dishes came out. So we just left and paid only for th food that we ate as appetizers. Everything about this establishment is of sincerely poor quality. Also agree with other reviews that they pretend that their credit card machine is not working. read more

Our lunch at the famed Cafe was disappointing. The food was ok - but the service was terrible. We were not yet to high season (visiting at the end of May) and the restaurant was not crowded; however, our party was not served in any recognizable sequence (unusual for France)! My husband and I were served our main entree before our companions even had salad, one in our group didn't get his salad until well after everyone else had finished their first courses. Our other courses were similarly disjointed and the LUNCH lasted over three hours. (My hubby and I toured parts of the City - and fed the meter while our friends waited patiently for their other courses. FYI, we didn't read the blurb in 111 Must See Provence until after we were seated.) Overall, other than the company, it was very disappointing meal! read more

Do not be seduced by the bright hues of yellow unless you want a golden shower. If you were to look up "Epic Fail" in Urban Dictionary, you might very well find a picture of this sad abyss. read more

If you ever want to know why Van Gogh cut off his ear it may be because he ate here. Service was terrible, I had to get knifes and napkins myself after asking three times. The bathrooms were very unpleasant and it was sweltering hot in and outside of the restaurant. The food was terrible and very expensive. I would totally recommend if you want your day to be ruined by rude waiters, terrible service, being solicited by a street merchant while eating, bad food that's overpriced, and gross bathrooms. read more

Today I ate the worst meal of my life at Le Cafe Van Gogh. We decided to eat at the seemingly cute cafe we read about in our guidebooks. But don't let looks or your guide book deceive you. We sat down outside to get out of the heat, but were shocked that under the awning it was some how hotter then in the sun. The meal started by being greeted and corralled to our table, which was not set. The waiter slapped down a dirty table cloth from another table and a pile a forks. After waiting 15 minutes to order drinks and another 15 to order our lunch and yet another 10 to get our food, we were disappointed with the food was mediocre at best. Then we realized we didn't have knives. After asking three times he finally brought us knives after 20 min when my mother got up to get them herself. Not to mention this place was cheap. Oh, I don't mean the food. Our meal was extremely expensive given the horrible service and average food, I mean the establishment. They don't take credit cards, no wifi, just a sweaty woman counting money in the corner. In short, just don't go here. Please. Save yourself. read more