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    Balls

    4.2 (50 reviews)
    ModerateFrench
    Closed 12:00 pm - 2:30 PM, 7:30 PM - 10:30 PM

    Balls Photos

    BALLS ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Hipster
    Trendy
    Moderate noise
    Good for kids

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    Reviews With Photos

    Dinner at Balls.
    Meg G.

    I'd like to start this review by saying that I had a really great time at Balls tonight. However, there a few things that made the experience not as baller (ha) as I had hoped. When I called to randomly check if a rezo was needed - we lucked out as a party of 2 had cancelled - we were told to "vraiment be on time". Which ok, I'm Anglo, and cool with that so I showed up at 7:45pm. Yes, they open for dinner at 8pm, which I found odd but I am unable to explain why. Maybe that's normal? We were thus 10 minutes early outside chatting and didn't even get a single simple or that head nod like "hey, I see you" acknowledgment from any of the employees (who were on their phones .....or something). Since we were told to really be on time I expected a flipping line, so being the only ones outside like creepers wasn't exactly comfortable. I don't mind waiting outside until it opens but usually one gets the "sup" chin lift thing. It was awkward to the point where we felt weird walking in at 8:04. We then got the recognition of our presence from at least one member of the staff. I expected a super friendly welcome, not sure why (or am I just comparing to The Meatball Shop in NYC? Same concept but def. not comparable). We entered Paris's own ball restaurant. Here we go. We were the first ones there by a long shot. They were SUPER organized (total plus) - so organized that we had a specific table set for us randomly in the middle of one of the rows (thank goodness not at the bar facing the wall in the back to the right, it seems like it would be really difficult to eat and enjoy a conversation with someone being that close to a wall!). The menu was simple and graphically pleasing. On the wall there was a large chalk-like menu as well, clearly listed. As they say: "Choose your balls, choose your sauce, choose your side". My date and I were very impressed with the sides, and we even hesitated deciding! We went with splitting the sweet potato purée and the mushroom risotto (like 4 baby mushrooms were in the whole bowl but it was still delicious). The sides were super delicious. I was pleasantly surprised to know that 2 beer choices and also wine choices. I took the Page 24 lager. Did I mention we were the first ones there? People starting packing in around 8:15-20 (Is it possible to make reservations for 8:20 or was everyone just really late?). I felt silly to have arrived "fashionably early". Oops. The 'boulettes' arrived in little precious enamel bowls (I think). 5 plump balls for 10€, sitting in a shallow pool of sauce of your choice (cream or tomato). That's 2€ a ball, which really puts things into perspective. I got beef balls with the cream sauce, and my date got the veggie balls with the same sauce. The first bite we were so excited like "THIS IS SO GOOD". Which they WERE really delicious. By the 5th ball, however, it wasn't really warm anymore.... In retrospect, I would like this place for lunch. Lunchtime is always good because you're in a more "speedy" mode and want to finish your plate quickly. The atmosphere was nice, clean and simple with bench seats along the walls on both sides. We were in and out so I didn't get to check out the bathroom but it did say BALLSROOM on it. Which made me think of a baseball locker room or something. I don't know why it made me think of that. I really enjoyed the concept and the food was yummy, but I really had higher expectations from the staff. In general the environment wasn't as perky as I had imagined for a place whose owners chose to name it BALLS. We went all out and paid roughly 20€ a person with a drink included. I'm not sure I feel that it was worth it service/quality/price-wise, but hey, it was an experience. And, being a big fan of The Meatball Shop and its epicness in NYC, I did leave slightly disappointed. I can't say I plan to go back any time soon, but I'm glad I did go. Especially since the "Balls" card in the Cards Against Humanity deck is one of the best!

    Spicy Balls!
    Todd B.

    Really deserves a 4.5. Great service, good food, just not a big menu ( I know, how many Balls can you make?). We had a wide variety: Balls: spicy and veggie. Both really good. Apps: lentils, polenta, and risotto - all good for non - meat eaters :) Bottom line: great meal, fast service - great choice!

    lamb
    James H.

    We found this place by searching "fun places to eat". The staff here was great, they spoke English which is always a plus. Also they gave us a list of other places to eat in the Paris area. The balls were amazing!! We got the Spicy and the lamb balls, with the risotto and purée. It was a very great atmosphere, if you are in the area you must try it.

    Dana M.

    I discovered this restaurant in a book called "The 500 Hidden Secrets of Paris" in the section called "The 5 Best Specialty Restaurants." It did not disappoint! The meatballs and sauces were tasty (I had beef; my husband had pork), the salads were fresh and delicious, and the desserts were yummy and just the right size. We plan to go back.

    Meatballs with white sauce and polenta for a starter
    Elizabeth W.

    Eh, I like this place and it's something fun to check out, but it's nothing really to write home about. What drew me in was the name. Obviously, balls is eye-catching and funny. As the name suggests, all that is served are various types of meatballs (chicken, lamb, beef, and veggie I believe) as well as a number of different sides. You can unfortunately only choose one type of meatballs and one accompanying sauce, so make sure u go with someone who doesn't mind sharing if you wanna try the other types. U get 5 balls. Oh, and if u order beef and u don't like ur meat pink on the inside, you might want to specify well-done because by default in France, beef is never well-done. The best time to come is lunch because the lunch menu is a pretty good deal. If you come for dinner, be prepared to drop some cash. It's not outrageously pricy or anything, but just rather expensive for what it is. They have a good selection of craft beers (local and from abroad) to pair along with your balls if you like. The music selection both times I came was always pretty sweet - an eclectic mix of r+b, rap, hip hop, old school tracks - missy, a tribe called quest, biggie. Although the music varies so don't come based on that alone. The staff scores points because they were friendly and attentive and do speak English if you do prefer. Bottom line - come here for the lunch!

    The veggie with yogurt sauce, the seasonal salad, and the spicy with tomato
    Alexandra G.

    Really friendly staff, the waitress kindly asked if we'd be speaking in English which was thankfully just fine with. I had the veggie and my brother the spicy, and we tried each other's. They were both absolutely delicious and the drinks (wine and beer) were local which was nice.

    best seat in the restaurant

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    6 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Absolutely delicious food! The best balls I have ever tasted amazing service, and just a great place to eat and really affordable.

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    11 years ago

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    8 years ago

    Great idea , good performance, nice atmosphere, located near Atelier des lumiers - good location. I definitely recommend!

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    11 years ago

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    8 years ago

    Great for flavor and original idea wanted more sauce but great food and service. Would recommend to friends.

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    11 years ago

    Solid food. Simple but always a friendly warm place. Save room for the chocolate cake!

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    Page 1 of 2

    Balls Reviews in Other Languages

    Review Highlights - Balls

    The waiter was super helpful and welcoming and didn't bat an eye when we shyly asked in English for a table.

    Mentioned in 5 reviews

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    Le Comptoir de la Gastronomie - An amazing French onion soup...

    Le Comptoir de la Gastronomie

    4.5(1.5k reviews)
    2.6 kmChâtelet/Les Halles, 1er
    €€

    The most life- changing experience with French cuisine. This is what French culinary dreams are…read moremade of. Get the appetizer grilled foie gras with side of greens, you won't regret it. The richness of the flavor and the texture which is not reminiscent of the traditional roasted duck or foie gras, but rather a much more like a luxurious and indulgent version. We enjoyed our dinner on the outside of the restaurant after about a 20-30 minute wait. The bone marrow had the best flavor I've experienced for the dish. However, it is definitely overshadowed by the rich flavor of the foie gras. This experience was unforgettable, with our view of Parisian streets on a brisk, April night. We even came back on our last night, but didn't realize the hours on Google maps was for the deli. The restaurant closes earlier, before 9:00 PM. This meal got us thinking about Paris in a positive light, and we hope to be able to come back to eat the amazing dishes again!

    This place was a huge letdown. They had a cute little artisanal market on the front left of the…read morerestaurant. They had a number of goods to choose from and I ended up buying a few things for souvenirs. As for the actual restaurant, they had a number of delicious sounding items on their menu. Our server was very attentive to us and helped us decide on our dinner orders. Similar to the other restaurants though. After our food was delivered, it was far in between when we were checked on again. And after dessert it took even longer for our server to bring the bill. Overall, the food was a letdown. I do not exaggerate when I say that the frog legs just tasted like slightly flavored water. My friend's ravioli had a fairly decent flavored sauce but the pasta was a bit chewy. My friend's duck breast was pretty tough; I had noticed the table next to us also ordered it and they seemed to have trouble finishing/cutting theirs as well. As for my steak with foie gras, well the steak was once again tough and the foie gras was weirdly stringy. It was soft for the most part but there were parts that were tough and stringy. Maybe that's a section that's generally separated in the preparation process and it was missed? In any case it was disappointing. What wasn't disappointing was dessert though; perfectly sweet and balanced.

    Photos
    Le Comptoir de la Gastronomie
    Le Comptoir de la Gastronomie - He said was very good

    He said was very good

    Le Comptoir de la Gastronomie - French onion soup + bread

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    French onion soup + bread

    Chez Troquette

    Chez Troquette

    4.9(14 reviews)
    0.4 km11ème, Chemin Vert/Richard Lenoir
    €€

    Solid four star food and service. Dropped in for late lunch and iced into set menu for 16€. What…read moreordered was so buttery creamy and so yummy. The ham rissotto it was. Perfect after an evening of shesha with friends. Service is pleasant and fast. The patio rocks especially on the side, comfortable and out of the way. Will eat again.

    We read nice brunch reviews about a restaurant nearby "Chez Troquette" called "L'Artiste" but since…read moreit was fully booked we ended up at the "Chez Troquette". It was a really good experience. Warm welcomed by the two waiters (I suppose as well owners and brothers) and we got a nice table by the window. We decided to have brunch there, which is served not in buffet from but it will be brought to your table in a mixed plate. It contains scrambled eggs with your choice of bacon, chicken or salmon, grilled vegetable, salad, fruit salad, fresh plain yoghurt, row ham, hard cheese, goat cheese, pan cake, mini chocolate cake, madeleine, basket of fresh baguette, butter and homemade jam accompanied by a hot drink and a glass of fresh squeezed orange juice. All the products offered were really tasteful and of high quality. Everything seems to be homemade and with love. A nice surprise was the mini chocolate cake: still warm and with a soft chocolate cream inside. The homemade jam was delicious and with a lot of fruit pieces inside. Service friendly and attentive. The only critical point the size of the table: a little bit too small to contain all the food and drinks brought. Overall a really great experience. I deeply recommend to try.

    Photos
    Chez Troquette
    Chez Troquette - Creamy ham rissotto

    Creamy ham rissotto

    Chez Troquette - L'entree

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    L'entree

    La Buvette

    La Buvette

    4.4(19 reviews)
    0.2 kmChemin Vert/Richard Lenoir, 11ème
    €€

    Loved finally making it to La Buvette on a recent trip to Paris. As a lover of natural wines, I had…read morethe book about this quaint spot written by their owner. Great small bites and an awesome selection of wines. Service was spectacular, too. Really loved the chill vibe! If we are back and in the 11th, I'm certain that we will stop back in!

    There seems to be some confusion in the reviews about which establishment this is; there are two…read morerestaurants helmed by female chefs in Paris, one named simply "Buvette" (by the American chef Jody Williams; there is also a NYC outpost of the same name) and one called "La Buvette" (this is the correct page for the restaurant operated by Camille Fourmont). While I love NYC's Buvette, La Buvette is an entirely different sort of restaurant and is my NUMBER ONE recommendation for friends visiting Paris who enjoy natural wine/small plates/a slightly chaotic atmosphere. I make sure to come here as many times as I can whenever I visit Paris, and I've even gone to a La Buvette pop-up in NYC when the chef came last year. I'm definitely a La Buvette groupie. A buvette is a restaurant that sells wine to go and to drink in situ, along with a selection of small plates. While I hate the ubiquity of the term 'tapas' to describe dishes that are not quite entree-sized, you can think of La Buvette's dishes as basically tapas: smaller portions meant to be ordered in multiple and shared over a bottle of wine. The wine selection here is tightly curated and I've never had a glass that I disagreed with -- everything is pretty simpatico if you're into this style of wine, and the staff are quite helpful in steering you toward bottles you might enjoy. In past visits, I've often found myself ordering over half the menu, which is written on a mirror-board on the wall and changes daily. Everything is quite simple, made with excellent ingredients, and quite good. Note: this is not a full-service kitchen, so don't expect an elaborate dinner. Think of this as an appreciation of simplicity and purity of flavor, and you'll have a much better time than if you expect a 10-hour cassoulet or something. Get some cheeses and charcuterie, and absolutely get the big white beans with citrus zest. Savor the flavors. While I'd love for this to remain a hidden gem, the secret has definitely gotten out, and it's not really much of a "neighborhood" establishment anymore. Expect a line unless you get there quite early, and note that you won't have any privacy because the space is tiny, and you may end up drinking your wine standing by a tiny corner of the counter. To me, that's part of the charm, and Camille Fourmont has created quite a remarkable place that I find simply perfect. It's a must-visit in Paris!

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    La Buvette
    La Buvette
    La Buvette

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    Balls - french - Updated May 2026

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