Restaurant in Bordeaux, France
Michelin-recognised, easy to book, worth it.
Influences holds a Michelin Plate for the second consecutive year and a 4.8 Google rating across nearly 970 reviews — a credible combination at the €€€ price tier in Bordeaux. For modern cuisine that sits above casual but below starred-level spending, it is the most bookable option in its category in the city. Eat in; this is not a delivery proposition.
Influences at 36 Rue Saint-Sernin earns that rating across nearly a thousand reviews, which puts it in a small category of Bordeaux modern cuisine restaurants where consistency is the actual product. Pair that with two consecutive Michelin Plate recognitions (2024 and 2025) and you have a venue that the guide has watched and approved twice over — not a one-year fluke. At the €€€ price tier, this is the middle band of serious dining in Bordeaux: more committed than a neighbourhood bistro, significantly less than a full Michelin-starred splurge. If you have been once and are considering a return, the case is direct: the credentials have held, the price has not escalated to starred territory, and Bordeaux's modern cuisine options at this price point are genuinely limited.
The name signals the kitchen's intent: modern cuisine built from multiple culinary reference points rather than a single French tradition. In a city where classical technique still dominates the upper end of the restaurant market, a kitchen operating under the Michelin Plate designation with a cross-influence approach occupies a specific and relatively underserved position. The Michelin Plate is not a star , it is the guide's signal that the food is good and worth your attention, without the full weight of a starred recommendation behind it. In practical terms, that means you are paying €€€ for food the guide considers quality-assured but not at the level where every seat requires weeks of advance planning.
For the returning diner, the question is what the kitchen does with that freedom. Modern cuisine as a category in France covers a wide range , from neo-bistro cooking to more ambitious tasting-menu formats. Without confirmed menu details in the public record, the safe approach is to treat this as a restaurant where the format itself (whether à la carte or set menu) should be confirmed at booking. What the data does confirm: the consistency of that Google score across nearly a thousand data points suggests the kitchen is not relying on a single showpiece dish to carry reviews.
This is worth addressing directly because it affects how you think about the €€€ price point. Modern cuisine at this level , Michelin-recognised, dependent on technique and presentation , is almost always worse off-premise. The constructions that earn Michelin Plate attention are typically built around temperature, texture, and plating decisions that degrade significantly in transit. If you are considering Influences primarily as a delivery option, the honest answer is that you would be paying a €€€ price for a compromised version of what the kitchen actually produces. The value case for Influences is seated dining, full stop. The 4.8 rating reflects an in-restaurant experience; there is no meaningful data suggesting the kitchen prioritises or has optimised for delivery. Save the delivery budget for a category where the food genuinely travels , and book a table here instead.
Bordeaux has a credible fine dining scene anchored by a handful of well-positioned restaurants across price tiers. Understanding where Influences sits helps clarify the decision. For a broader view of the city's restaurant options, see our full Bordeaux restaurants guide.
At the €€€€ tier, Le Pressoir d'Argent , Gordon Ramsay operates at a different price ceiling with full starred ambition. Le Chapon Fin is the more direct peer comparison at €€€, also in modern French territory , if you are choosing between the two, the deciding factor will likely be atmosphere and booking availability rather than a clear quality gap. L'Observatoire du Gabriel and Maison Nouvelle are worth knowing as alternatives in the broader contemporary Bordeaux dining set. For something more casual at €€, L'Oiseau Bleu or La Table d'Hôtes , Le Quatrième Mur cover different registers.
Reservations: Booking difficulty is rated Easy , you should not need weeks of lead time, but confirming a table in advance is still the right call for any dinner plan. Address: 36 Rue Saint-Sernin, 33000 Bordeaux. Budget: €€€ per head , expect a spend in the moderate fine dining range; confirm current pricing at the time of booking. Awards: Michelin Plate 2024 and 2025. Dress: No confirmed dress code in the public record; the €€€ price tier in Bordeaux typically calls for smart casual at minimum. Groups: Seat count is not confirmed publicly , contact the restaurant directly for parties of six or more.
For context on what the Michelin Plate tier means nationally: France's modern cuisine scene at the starred level includes restaurants like Alléno Paris au Pavillon Ledoyen, Mirazur in Menton, Troisgros in Ouches, Auberge de l'Ill in Illhaeusern, Flocons de Sel in Megève, and Bras in Laguiole. Influences is not competing at that level , nor is it priced as if it were. It occupies a realistic and well-defined position: a quality-assured modern kitchen in a city better known for its wine than its restaurant scene, at a price that does not require the same commitment as a starred dinner. For those who want to understand how modern cuisine operates at the international level, Frantzén in Stockholm and FZN by Björn Frantzén in Dubai represent a different tier entirely.
If you have been to Influences once and are deciding whether to go back: the Michelin Plate has been renewed, the Google score has held across a large sample, and the booking window is not punishing. At €€€ in Bordeaux's modern cuisine tier, there is no obvious reason to switch unless you are ready to step up to €€€€ or want to try a different format entirely. Book the table, eat in, and skip the delivery question.
For the full picture on what else Bordeaux has to offer while you are planning, see our Bordeaux hotels guide, our Bordeaux bars guide, our Bordeaux wineries guide, and our Bordeaux experiences guide.
At €€€, yes , particularly given two consecutive Michelin Plate recognitions and a 4.8 Google rating across nearly 970 reviews. You are paying for a quality-assured modern cuisine experience in a city where that standard at this price tier is not easy to find. It is not a starred-level commitment, which actually works in its favour: the price and the credential are in proportion.
Le Chapon Fin is the closest peer at €€€ in modern French cuisine , worth comparing on atmosphere and availability. For less spending, L'Oiseau Bleu is a credible step down in price. If budget is not the constraint, Le Pressoir d'Argent , Gordon Ramsay at €€€€ raises the ceiling significantly. See our full Bordeaux guide for the complete picture.
Seat count is not confirmed in the public record. For groups of six or more, contact the restaurant directly before attempting an online reservation , in Bordeaux's mid-to-upper dining tier, private or semi-private arrangements often require direct coordination. The Easy booking difficulty rating suggests capacity is not severely constrained for standard party sizes.
Modern cuisine restaurants at the €€€ tier in France tend to work well for solo diners, particularly at counter or bar seating if available. The Easy booking rating means you are not competing for scarce seats. Confirm seating preferences when you book , solo diners at this price point are generally accommodated without issue in Bordeaux's contemporary restaurants.
Yes, with one qualification: it sits at €€€ rather than €€€€, so it reads as a serious dinner rather than a full-occasion splurge. If the occasion calls for maximum ceremony and you have the budget, Le Pressoir d'Argent at €€€€ may better match the moment. For a milestone dinner where quality matters more than theatre, Influences' Michelin Plate credential and 4.8 rating make it a defensible and practical choice.
No confirmed dress code is on record. At the €€€ price tier in Bordeaux, smart casual is the safe baseline , avoid overly casual dress, but there is no evidence of a formal jacket requirement. When in doubt, aim slightly above what you would wear to a neighbourhood bistro.
Menu format details are not confirmed in the public record, so it would be inaccurate to make specific claims about what a tasting menu at Influences costs or includes. What the data supports: two Michelin Plate awards suggest the kitchen has the technical grounding to justify a multi-course format at €€€. Confirm the current menu structure directly with the restaurant before booking if a tasting menu is your specific intention.
| Venue | Awards | Price | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Influences | Michelin Plate (2025); Michelin Plate (2024) | €€€ | — |
| Le Pressoir d'Argent - Gordon Ramsay | Michelin 2 Star | €€€€ | — |
| La Tupina | World's 50 Best | €€ | — |
| Ishikawa | €€ | — | |
| Le Chapon Fin | €€€ | — | |
| Amicis | Michelin 1 Star | €€€€ | — |
Comparing your options in Bordeaux for this tier.
At €€€, Influences sits in Bordeaux's serious dining tier, and the evidence supports the spend: a Michelin Plate in both 2024 and 2025, plus a 4.8 across nearly 1,000 Google reviews is a credible signal of consistency. If you want Michelin-recognised modern cuisine without the booking difficulty of a starred room, this is a reasonable call. If budget is the primary concern, La Tupina delivers strong value at a lower price point.
Le Chapon Fin is the obvious comparison if you want historic prestige alongside modern cooking at a similar or higher price. La Tupina is the right move if you prefer regional Gascon tradition over contemporary technique and want to spend less. Le Pressoir d'Argent by Gordon Ramsay sits above Influences on price and formality; it suits a different occasion. Amicis and Ishikawa serve different formats entirely, so the comparison depends on whether modern French cuisine is specifically what you are after.
Group bookings at modern cuisine restaurants at this tier in France typically require advance notice and can be subject to set menu constraints. Given the €€€ price point and Michelin-recognised positioning, parties of six or more should check the venue's official channels and expect a pre-arranged menu rather than full à la carte flexibility. Booking difficulty is rated Easy, which works in larger groups' favour for availability.
Yes, and the Easy booking difficulty makes it more accessible than most Michelin-tier rooms in France, where solo seats can be harder to secure. At €€€ for modern cuisine, solo dining here is a defensible spend if you are in Bordeaux for food. Counter or bar seating, if available, would be the practical preference for a single diner — worth confirming when you book.
Two consecutive Michelin Plates and a 4.8 on nearly 1,000 reviews gives Influences the credibility for a birthday, anniversary, or business dinner at the €€€ level. It is not the most formal room in Bordeaux — Le Pressoir d'Argent or Le Chapon Fin carry more occasion weight for guests who expect traditional pomp. Influences works best for occasions where considered modern cooking matters more than ceremony.
The venue data does not specify a dress code, but Michelin Plate modern cuisine at €€€ in Bordeaux typically expects neat, presentable dress rather than black tie. Clean, polished casual or smart casual is a reasonable baseline. Avoid overly casual clothing; this is not a bistro.
The venue data does not confirm a tasting menu format, so assume nothing about structure until you check at booking. What is confirmed: Michelin Plate recognition in 2024 and 2025 at €€€ suggests the kitchen is operating at a level where a structured menu, if offered, is likely to justify the price. If a tasting format is available and modern cuisine built from multiple culinary reference points is your preference, the case for it is solid.
Keep this venue in your Pearl passport, rate it after you visit, and track it alongside every other place you collect.
