Chef at Delano Miami Beach in South Beach, mentioned in Haute Living's best restaurants list for Miami.
Insights
ItalianPizzaMediterraneanLevantineVegan-friendlySeafoodFine diningLunchDinnerFine DiningLive Music
Last updated: 8/7/2026, 3:04:59 AM
Key Information
Gigi (Saint-Tropez) is a French Riviera sanctuary located in Ramatuelle, offering a sophisticated luxury dining experience with an Italian flair. Nestled amidst aromatic pines, it provides a tranquil and opulent setting, known for its vibrant atmosphere with live music and a DJ.
Customer perception is mixed. While many praise the beautiful setting, pleasant ambiance, and lively atmosphere with live music, there are significant criticisms regarding the value for money and service. Common complaints include disproportionately high prices for food that is considered average, pushy and insincere staff attempting to upsell expensive items (like lobster pasta), slow service, and issues with food quality (e.g., cold dishes, melted cocktails, fish tartare drenched in oil, warm fruit plates). Some dishes, like fried courgettes, king crab salad, and limone fettuccini with tuna, were noted as delicious, but overall, the culinary excellence is often seen as not matching the premium cost, which is perceived to be more tied to the staging and setting.
Additional Details
Gigi (Saint-Tropez) is part of the Gigi Rigolatto brand, which also has locations in Paris. Guests should be aware of a parking fee and a golf cart transfer upon arrival. The restaurant aims to provide an experience of Italian hospitality and opulence.
Vegetarian optionsVegan options (limited, e.g., fruit plate, some pasta/pizza can be adapted)
Best Times to Visit
The restaurant is likely most popular during the summer months, given its Saint-Tropez location and mentions of 'summer slows down.' Evenings are ideal for experiencing the lively atmosphere with live music and a DJ.
1
Hello,
I wanted to share some honest feedback about our experience because unfortunately the service made us feel quite uncomfortable.
From the very beginning, the waiter was extremely pushy and insincere. Before even properly presenting or explaining the menu, he immediately started steering us toward the most expensive items without clearly mentioning prices. Rather than feeling welcomed into a luxury dining experience, it felt like we were being pressured into spending more at every step.
What bothered me most was the constant insistence regarding the lobster pasta. I repeatedly explained that I do not like lobster and specifically did not want it in my pasta, yet he continued pushing it several times, saying things like “you must try this here,” “the portion will be small,” and “it’s amazing.” After a while it became genuinely uncomfortable and completely interrupted the relaxed atmosphere we came for.
To be very honest, it almost felt as though there is a commission-based system or management pressure encouraging staff to aggressively upsell certain dishes. If that is the case, I strongly believe it damages the entire luxury experience. Guests coming to a place like this are not looking to be convinced into expensive choices — we are perfectly capable of ordering what we want ourselves. Luxury hospitality should feel effortless, elegant, and comfortable, not sales-driven or manipulative.
I have absolutely no issue paying for exceptional food and service, but I would like to choose my meal peacefully, without repeated pressure after already saying no multiple times.
A truly refined restaurant experience is about making guests feel at ease, not making them feel managed or pushed.
Here is the second option translated and refined in English, maintaining the direct, executive tone and sharp focus on the price-to-quality ratio:
> **Impeccable aesthetics, average gastronomy, and disproportionate prices. The arrival process immediately sets the tone for the venue: a €15 parking fee followed by a golf cart transfer that might not sit well with everyone. While the ambiance and decor are excellent, the live music felt overly monotonous and slow. As for the Italian cuisine, the Margherita pizza starter was decent and the Cotoletta alla Milanese (served with a green salad and cherry tomatoes) was fine—as was the tuna—but none of the dishes justify the premium menu prices.
The dessert selection is overly simplistic, limited to ice cream and fruit; given the location, the absence of French classics like a Mousse, Crème Brûlée, or a Tarte Tropézienne is a missed opportunity. I would not return: the high cost is strictly tied to the staging and setting, not to culinary excellence.
Lovely experience at Gigi's, staff is friendly, lively and prompt, the atmosphere is fun with a mix of live music and DJ, the setting is beautiful and the food was delicious, we had the fried courgettes, king crab salad, and the limone fettuccini with tuna, which was delightful.
We reserved a table at Gigi Ramatuelle and were looking forward to a nice lunch, but unfortunately the experience was very disappointing.
The setting is beautiful and the atmosphere is pleasant, which are definitely the restaurant’s strongest points. However, the food quality did not match the high prices.
We ordered the melon and watermelon plate, which should have been cold and refreshing, especially on a warm day. Instead, it arrived at the table warm, which was quite surprising and unpleasant.
We also ordered the fish tartare, which came drenched in oil, overpowering the dish and making it feel more commercial than carefully prepared. Overall, the food lacked freshness and refinement.
For a restaurant charging premium prices, we expected much better quality and attention to detail. While the location and ambiance are lovely, I would not recommend Gigi Ramatuelle if your priority is enjoying a truly tasty and memorable lunch. The value for money simply isn’t there.
Unfortunately, our experience did not match our expectations.
It took a very long time for anyone to ask us what drinks we wanted, and then another long wait before our food order was taken. When the food finally arrived, it sat on a tray near us for quite some time before being delivered to our table. By the time it reached us, it was cold, so we had to ask for it to be reheated.
To be fair, once reheated the food itself was delicious. However, just as we were nearly finished with our meal, my husband’s frozen cocktail finally arrived — melted by that point.
After finishing, we were then left sitting with dirty plates in front of us for over 15 minutes without anyone clearing the table or checking on us. We would have ordered more food if the service hadn’t been so bad.
Overall, the service was extremely disappointing and fell well below what we expected. This is such a shame given how beautiful the restaurant is.
