Christophe Pach is a highly awarded chef recognized for his skills since a young age, having been named Best Apprentice Cook of France in 2015. He is associated with prestigious establishments and has received top...
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SteakhouseBbqAmericanFrenchUpscaleDinnerFine DiningCasualWine Bar
Last updated: 7/12/2026, 7:19:59 AM
Key Information
La Cheminée is an emblematic French restaurant located in a historic 1680 farmhouse in La Chaux-de-Fonds. It is renowned for its unique rustic ambiance, centered around an immense wood-fired chimney where quality meats are grilled. The establishment offers a warm atmosphere, private rooms for events, and an extensive wine list for connoisseurs.
Customers highly praise La Cheminée for its excellent wood-fired steaks, noting their succulent smoky flavor and the mouth-watering sauces. The rustic and cozy ambiance, especially the medieval room with the fireplace, is frequently highlighted as a major draw. Service is generally described as welcoming and friendly. While many find the food and atmosphere great, some reviews mention it can be pricey, with mixed opinions on certain desserts (like the crème brûlée) and sides. Some also noted that the lobster bisque could be salty or the tomahawk could be better.
Additional Details
The restaurant is housed in a historic stone building dating back to 1680, featuring traditional stone masonry and wooden beams. It offers a beautiful wine list with selections from Côtes-du-Rhône, Bordeaux, and Burgundy. Banquet halls and a terrace are available for events and larger gatherings.
Given its warm and cozy ambiance, La Cheminée is likely ideal for dinner, especially for those seeking a romantic or intimate dining experience.
Awards & Recognition
Passeport Gourmand • 2026
5
Old style stone house, bare deco but quite romantic and retro. Private room with a live barbecue gives privacy and a great atmosphere. Go for meat, you will not be disappointed.
La Cheminee served one of the best steak I've ever had in Switzerland. The restaurant has a very rustic ambience with the woodfired chimney being centrepiece.
We started with some fresh salad and had a platter of beef, roasted vegetables and potatoes as main. The steak was barbecued on a wood fired special chimney. It gives the steak that succulent smoky flavour. The sauce accompanied it was mouth watering. I believe we had a mushroom sauce. For dessert I had a chocolate lava cake which is always a favorite.
Service was beyond excellent. The staff are just so welcoming and friendly. They even offered to take photos of us which is really kind. I would not hesitate to drop by again if I'm in the area.
La Cheminée is, in my opinion, okay compared to the other options in La Chau’s-de-Fonds. For the price, it is a bit pricier but without additional merit.
The Food: Cassolette de champignons was an excellent start - creamy and filled with umami, however I thought the bread it was paired with lacked structure, considering the bread they serve with the meal is absolutely divine.
Assiette de barbecue was a good way of trying what they have to offer - my favorite was the veal liver. My critique would be the sides - I asked for only vegetables and I felt like there could have been more; my colleagues that had vegetables and pomme frites had substantially more. It would have been nice to have been offered roasted potatoes instead of fried - even more so considering the giant fire pit to cook the meat; imagine potatoes cooking in the meat juices!
The dessert was a disappointment - crème brûlée. The custard was a disaster - an eggy texture and an eggy taste. The burnt sugar on the top was barely there - usually when you hit your spoon on the top you should hear a nice crack. This one was more of a whimper and I couldn’t taste the burnt/caramelized sugar.
The Service: Friendly but at times inattentive - not the best I’ve had and not the worst.
The Atmosphere: There is some charm to the large stone structure and the massive pit where they cook the meat. Our room was private and almost too cozy - a slightly narrower table would be better for the space.
Would I come back, sure, if someone invited.
Great food, great ambiance and great service. The staff is very attractive, the meat is prepared in the very cozy medieval room in the fire place on wood fire.
