The first time we walked into the Great Escape some five years ago, we knew that we had found our homesick haven. Beers galore, neon signs, a wide wooden bar and sticky floors – it takes us back to our collegiate years in the best of all possible ways. This is Lausanne’s sports bar par excellence, and in walking past its threshold, you’ll think you’ve stepped into middle-America.
But even if America isn’t your thing, you’re going to love this place.
Aside from the great ambiance and fantastic summer terrace, it’s actually the food that keeps us coming back to the Great Escape. Our husbands swear by the burgers, but our Great Escape guilty pleasure is battered and deep fried – chicken nuggets! Served with thick-cut homemade potato slices and ketchup and mayonnaise for dipping, these suckers have taunted us in many a late night craving through the years. The Great Escape always has great seasonal salad options as well, in case our description has failed to bring you over to the deep-fried dark side.
This place is a perennial favorite in Lausanne. It might even be the city’s most popular bar. And among enthusiasts, we are no exception. Give us a beer, a basket of chicken nuggets, a group of friends and a spot on the steps leading from Riponne to the cathedral and we’ll pretty much call it the perfect Friday night.
The Great Escape was also featured in our series on the best terraces of Lausanne.
The Great Escape
Rue Madeleine 18, 1003 Lausanne
021 312 31 94