We strolled in on a week night and were told since we did not have a reservation, we would not be…read moreoffered a table to have dinner. Though standing at an empty table at roughly 8 pm, we were told we could have a charcuterie plate and some wine, but we were more interested in actually dining, not grazing. The fellow pointed us towards another restaurant, highly recommending it because they served "fresh" food. Though the place he suggested looked dubious, we sat down and figured (eventually) the guy at Aux Crieurs was probably having a good laugh at our expense. (We were told they, Aux Crieurs, purchased only the precise amount of food for the number of diners each evening. Really? What dining establishment doesn't purchase sufficient provisions?? Aux Crieurs, apparently!) He did tell us, though, that they would be open until midnight and suggested we return after dinner. On our stroll back through town, we did see far more promising dining spots near Aux Crieurs. We found the place to be about half full and sat down at the very empty table we had seen earlier in the evening. We ordered a few different white wines...nothing exceptional. My friend poked around the shop and spoke (French) with the owner/manager who seemed disinterested in conversing with a wine industry veteran from overseas. Recommending a bottle, we gave the okay and this was opened and poured...this was another one of those wines that's fashionable in some wine circles, more for its novelty than for its quality. The owner and his counter help engaged in a bit of chit chat while leaning on the wine bar and waiting for a couple of groups which had been dining there to wrap up their evening. As we sipped the bottle of red over the course of next next half hour, no effort was made to sell the remaining tables a glass or bottle of wine or, perhaps, a mineral water. The Aux Crieurs crew wanted to go home. It was perhaps 11:15 or 11:30 when those stragglers stood up and made their way out the door. At this point the owner began turning out the lights and we were asked to leave, despite having half a bottle of wine remaining. Perhaps our experience is abnormal, but should we find ourselves in Troyes again, this is the last place we would consider as a dining or wining option!