A "bouillon" is a type of budget eating establishment that serves French food at very reasonable prices. So, you can get a great taste of France without spending all of your money on one meal! Bouillon Chartier is one of several of these types of restaurants in Paris. If you are on a budget, try this place or one of the other bouillons in Paris to see if it's your type of thing. Long line; place was packed. As others have mentioned, not the greatest meal in Paris, but a great value. The appetizers were very reasonably priced, so we tried several items; all good. We tried the snails, which were good but hard to wrestle with without practice! I had the beef stew with macaroni, and stewed prunes with ice cream(!) for dessert. There were many dessert and ice cream choices on the menu, so dessert lovers who don't speak French may want to keep their translation app handy! This place is so low key that they just write your order (and the price) on the paper table cloth; at the end of the meal you just add it up. read more

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This was one of the last places we tried during our trip. It has a wide variety of classic French dishes and service is quick and efficient. We started with a dozen escargot and then moved to the main of steak, sauce poivre & frites. The steak was medium, as ordered but it lacked any seasoning. The sauce was really good and honestly was the best part of the main meal. The frites were almost cold so they had a kind of chewy texture. Dessert was crème de caramel and VERY good. Overall, the meal was okay, but could have been a bit better by just hitting some basic things. read more

Bouillon Chartier - French Near Me - Paris, 01

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As much as I'd like to confidently give a two-star or four-star review either way, Bouillon Chartier falls squarely within the middle range. The intimidating line is as daunting as it looks. My party was quoted 40 minutes but our actual wait time was closer to 65. A group of regulars assured us it was worth the wait. We ordered: -- six snails (7,50 €): those who partook reported no complaints, though they've had better. -- roasted chicken & fries (10,50 €): the flavor was a hit but the toughness of the chicken was a miss. Definitely overcooked and/or was sitting under a lamp for too long. -- rosette de Lyon (3,10 €): generous portion of dry cured salami with a hint of garlic. -- Alsatian sauerkraut (11 €): did not try but this dish included a duo of sausages as well as ham. -- floating island (3 €): it was here that I figured out I am not a fan of iîe flottante, a dessert of soft meringue swimming in a pool of crème anglaise. -- chestnut puree with whipped cream (4 €): 10/10 even without the fancy presentation we experienced at other eateries on this trip. A must-get. -- camembert which we were charged 2,80 € for despite it never making it to our table. There are several Bouillons around Paris; this one, crowded for its high-energy atmosphere, gorgeous painted glass ceiling, & Parisian charm. Waiters scribble your order on your paper place mat, & upon seeing this was our cheapest dinner in town, I understand why the group ahead of us in line sang its praises. Not the very best meal you'll have but perhaps one of the most fun & entertaining. read more

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Our tour guide recommended this restaurant. We were happy to have experienced it. The decor was beautiful. The restaurant always seems to have a line. One member of our party was in a wheelchair and they moved us to the head of the line. Once inside, all the tables were full so we felt lucky to have been moved up. The food was good. We were there for the experience and weren't expecting a magical culinary affair. We did think some of the dishes lacked flavor, but we didn't try other authentic French restaurants to be able to compare. The escargot was very good. We tried dishes that weren't typically found on a US menu. We wanted to be adventurous. The beef tongue was not as chewy as I had thought it would be. The veal kidney was tasty. The fish dumpling was eh. It was very busy and the service was a bit hectic. People seated after us at other tables got their food first and a few things were forgotten. Our server finally took a picture of our order (which he wrote on the table) and finally got us everything. Overall, I'm glad we tried it. read more

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I have heard and read so many recommendations about Chartier and I was super excited to line up for an hour!! I really wanted to love this place. I was so excited to finally be able to try it. The decoration was so charming and it was so interesting to see the waiter wrote down your orders on your table. However, it all went downhill from there. The food and drinks were not impressive. My steak frites was almost inedible. I can't cut it through. Escargot was probably the best dish of the night. My friend's duck dinner was also super dry. I like the history of this place, but it definitely doesn't worth the wait. read more

Bouillon Chartier - Looooooooong line - French Near Me - Paris, 01

A bouillon, is a type of restaurant, praised for traditional, simple and hearty cuisine. They're very popular and affordable. This one's been there since 1903! I did like it, the Art Nouveau is one of my favorite architectural styles but the experience was somewhat too fast for me, I think is because they were conceived to serve the working class and they acted like the "fast food" of the time. The food was tasty but it lacked presentation. read more

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We came at a time when this place was not very busy, so no line! Even if there is a line, I understand that it moves quickly, and one of the reasons for that is that they will not leave any seats open, if you are two people you're likely to be seated with other folks. Which is fine with me. My BF had been here a couple of times earlier and wanted me to see the very pretty dining room. And the service was fine, and the duck with the roasted potatoes was actually quite tasty, although served very plainly. The green salad was just that, lettuce with a dijon dressing which I didn't care for (not a Dijon fan). The merlot wine was not much, but super cheap. Lunch for two with carafe of wine the 37 euros. read more

I am French and I have been to the other Bouillon at Grand Boulevard. The food here at Montparnasse is not good at all. The service was also terrible. I get it isn't anything upscale but what I had was terrible. Frankfurt sausage with fries. The vegetables soup. I did not enjoy them at all. In addition the server didn't bring us water and I had to asked twice then I actually just get the water myself from the counter. At the end he even asked for tips. In France we do not tip ever because the service surcharge (tips) is already included in the price! Dishonest! The only thing I enjoyed was the decor. I won't return again. We were seated at the backroom so I can't really enjoy the main dinning room. There were servers that were eating their lunch break and using racial languages that you don't think you wanna hear from them talking. My own server can't speak French. And the other servers keep calling him Hey China dude (in French). I had hard time understanding him. Not a very good experience overall. Yes they are cheap but they taste bad and bad ambiance. read more

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Terrible food, terrible service. Bread was like rubber. I guess you get what you pay for thank goodness it was cheap but because it's cheap there's a huge line of people thinking they can get authentic French food for a good price, the good price yes, good food absolutely opposite read more

We decided to try out this restaurant because of all the hype and the low prices. There was a line when we first arrived around 8:15pm and weren't seated until 9pm. The entire concept of this place is to deliver fast service and pack as many tables into the space as possible. Our server came within a few seconds of being seated and we basically shared the table with 2 other strangers but that part didn't bother us too much. We ordered vegetable soup but then they ran out already. The escargot (snails) were by far the best part of the dinner. They were smothered in pesto and delicious. We got the spaghetti bolognese, mushrooms, and 2 steaks with Fries & butter. The mushrooms were decent. But everything else was honestly pretty bland. I mean I guess you get what you paid for so obviously didn't expect a top notch steak but they should at least add some salt! Plus the steaks were very tough. Fries were good though but also lacked salt. Overall, if you go somewhere else it would ultimately be the same price if not a little more but the food would be tastier and the atmosphere would be quieter, less chaotic, and just more enjoyable. read more

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Definitely great value if you know what to order. Some items were an experiment. But the classic items did not disappoint. Expect lines but they move quickly especially if just two persons. read more

I was alone and asked if I was ok sitting at table with other people that were alone. Said yes and spent a very nice impromptu lunch with other tourist. Great choices and flavor. Setting was very French. read more

No disrespect because this place is an institution, but what the actual toots. Let me tell you something. The only reason we dropped in for a meal is because my friend who currently lives in Tokyo was told by her French friend that we should eat here. We came in late on a Friday night. There was an actual line. People were there to celebrate birthdays and I spotted lots of couples on dates. Let me tell you something else. The food here is wildly unseasoned. Like they don't care at all about seasoning. I took one bite of everything. I forced myself to eat the order of shrimp I got myself. We shockingly could not finish the bottle of red wine we got. Not even drunk me could disrespect my munchies. S/O to the locals who were doing the most. There was a group of about 10 people celebrating a birthday out front who got rowdy. I wanted some of that energy. We walked out of this establishment still hungry. read more

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Went to another bouillon in Paris. Service is blazingly fast, I may say the real fast food in all bouillon of Paris. Food was tasty and price for authentic French food here is amazing. Servers can speak English so never worry going to the restaurants in France. Decor is well decorated. Definitely recommended. read more

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I really wanted to try this place because they advertise French cuisine at affordable prices. However, sometimes you get what you pay for and my experience here felt cheap. I will say that the dining room was nice, but the service was questionable and the food quality disappointing. I was sat at one table and given a menu, and when I was ready to order, they moved me to another table for unknown reasons. I ordered the terrine, 6 escargots, and steak frites, as well as a carafe of sangria. The terrine and escargots were fairly tasty, served with bread. I especially liked the escargots; they weren't the best I've ever had, but they hit the spot. The sangria tasted like juice, but it was refreshing for a hot day. However, the steak frites "piece du boucher" was just abysmal. I'm not a picky eater, but I really couldn't eat it. The meat was tough and hard to cut, and I tried a piece from the end first. It was rubbery and devoid of flavor other than salt. I spat it out and cut a piece from the center instead. I chewed it and it was tough and tasteless. I didn't think I could swallow it so I spit that out too. You can probably tell in the picture, the frites were overdone and dry. I wasn't going to force myself to eat any of it. Food here comes out quickly and I've heard that they prepare a lot of things in advance and just keep them under a heater. That probably works better for some dishes, but definitely not my steak, which was cooked through and rubbery. The herb butter placed on top couldn't fully melt, which didn't help. I sat with my barely touched plate (it had my used napkin and silverware on top) for a while, until my waiter finally cleared it and only asked if I wanted dessert. I declined, just wanting to leave at that point. I finished my sangria and kept trying to get someone's attention so that I could pay the bill, but I was unsuccessful at best and ignored at worst. Finally I got up and asked the man in the suit at the door if I could pay, and he got my waiter to return to my table. He didn't ask any questions about my experience, and I paid full price and left. I was definitely regretful that my meal was so unpleasant. This is Paris, after all. There is much better food out there. I wouldn't come back, but it started filling up after I left, so clearly there are people who like it. I would suggest being careful about what you order, or skip it entirely. A low price doesn't always mean good value. read more

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They don't take reservations, it's almost 10pm on a Thursday and I'm stoked that the line is only 15 deep. Why ? Have you seen this place? It's right out of Belle Epoque. And the prices-Holy mother of God-the prices. It's almost too good to be true. The escargot was fine but the shrimp with mayo was more interesting. The main course is mainly comfort food. We had the beff bourguignon, fish with crustacean sauce and steak au poivre. All were good but not great - I'm not complaining Standouts for dessert was the rice pudding its superior - fresh not too sweet . Otherwise the peach with ice cream and profiteroles was ok. Skip the mont blanc. Because it's busy dining here service takes time. Listen if you want to feel like a local and be able to dine at this gorgeous room with prices you can't beat - this is it. We left around midnight and the place was still lit AF. read more

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Enjoyed our meal here. The menu was straight forward with an array of selections and reasonable prices. I had the steak & fries, my fiancé had the braised beef tongue with mashed potatoes and we ordered a side of escargot and a pitcher of sangria. The steak I ordered was a bit tough and the food didn't come out hot, but we still enjoyed the meal. Great ambiance, quick service, recommended checking it out for yourself! read more

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On one of the not so touristic parts of Paris, this is one of the few locations they have, nothing fancy about it, lots of locals dining here, not sure if this is the everyday Parisian food not bad at all, the only thing that took me by surprise was the beef cheeks that were served with elbow pasta read more

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This place was amazing. Great price, amazing service, food was delicious, and the atmosphere was amazing, it felt like a big family. It was my first time having escargot and omg I loved it. I begrudgingly said out loud to my parents "I'm officially an escargot girlie" lol read more

Bouillon Chartier - Escargot and sangria - French Near Me - Paris, 01

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Homey French food at le bouillon chartier! We waited ~45 minutes which was quite quick for how long the line was when we arrived. The host is so on top of it, seating everyone efficiently and remembering the party sizes in the line. The dining room is huge and many tables are for six, so multiple parties may be seated together at a table. The menu is vast with many options. We opted for the oven baked sea bass, pork trotters, pig snout, escargot, and a half bottle of wine. Food was satisfying, but could definitely use a bit more seasoning. Overall, enjoyable and affordable meal with a fun ambiance! read more

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This restaurant is truly an experience. Be prepared to sit family style with others unless you can get a 2 person table. The staff is very nice but they proceed with orders fast! It's a great place for a decently priced meal. The wine is very affordable too. I recommend the Rocamadour cheese at the end of the meal. You can't go wrong with any of the entrees! read more

Bouillon Chartier - Mushrooms, steak, fries - French Near Me - Paris, 01

If you are starving then it's okay. The chicken and duck we ordered were dry. The fish was okay. The escargot was the best item of the day. read more

Bouillon Chartier - Escargot - French Near Me - Paris, 01

This restaurant has long lines constantly, so despite their 3.3 review, I decided to try it out. When we went inside, the interior was quite nice, but the menus were made out of paper and had a lot of markings on them which were very untidy. The appetizers came out quickly and tasted ok but nothing special. The wait time in total was about 15-20 minutes. However, one of my family members ordered the steak medium rare, but when he cut it open (the very outer layer) it was blue rare. We told the waiter and he returned with the same steak, but more well done. When he cut more into the steak towards the middle, he found it was still quite raw and didn't eat. We told the waiter again, but instead of apologizing he insisted it was perfectly fine. Not only was the steak bad quality, but another member ordered the sea bass and when he tasted it, it wasn't fresh whatsoever and therefore, he also didn't end up eating anything. During the time we got the check, despite my family member not eating the steak, they still charged us for it. The experience here was very unpleasant and don't be fooled by the long line. I would definitely never come back here again. read more

Bouillon Chartier - The inside is very raw - French Near Me - Paris, 01

Less busy than the location in the 9th, but still a short 5min wait for two people at 2:30pm on a Saturday. We were seated before some larger parties of 4 or 5, so it seems seating is based on what's available, and it seems popular to come with groups of people. They do have an English menu available if needed, but you could be adventurous and just try the Menu du jour, which includes an entree, plat, and dessert for under 20€. Everything is tasty standard French cuisine at a great rate and with fast service- and that's why it seems to be so popular for an afternoon meal- especially between service hours at other restaurants. The decor is gorgeous and worth plenty of photos on your phone even though the atmosphere is overall a casual tone. read more

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Ordered a pollock fish with potato's a beef stew and escargot. The escargot (snails) was a first for me and tasted like mussels with a hint of dirt. I give 'em a 3.5 out of 10. Everything else was bland and flavorless. French food is turning out to be all bakery and no further. The price for the Parisian food is the best in town. read more

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Warning: American review! This place came recommended from our friends in London. I don't know what I was expecting, but it was an experience. We went late on a week night...maybe 11:00pm. We got seated almost immediately with two other patrons whom we didn't know. This was our first hour in Paris, and we weren't prepared for the French menu. We hadn't even gotten our Google Translator app ready yet! The guys we were seated with laughed at us and tried to help us go through the menu. They explained that it's cheaper than other restaurants because they offer meat that no one else wants (sounds appetizing, right?!). We ordered a few of the appetizers because he said, "its basically free" We got shredded carrots, An egg in mayo, A salad (which our tablemate disapproved of), leeks, and escargot. The waiter was running all over the place and we pointed to an entree (chicken seemed like a safe bet) that we would share. Our tablemates again scoffed at our unwillingness to be adventurous. They opted for a burrito looking thing that was stuffed with Pig intestines. We tried theirs. It was NOT for me. And baby cow intestines? This is refused to try. It was on the greyish color and smelled like boiled meat. He dipped it in Dijon, but didn't seem like a fan. He said he was feeling bold and wanted to give it a try, but said he wouldn't order it again. The dessert was good! Some sort of puff with ice cream in it. Overall, an experience to say the least, but very off-putting in my book. Sorry! read more

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Walking into this locale and one is inatantly greeted with a warm and grand feel. From the intricate designs on the walls to the welcoming staff it is an experience one strives to have during dining To start we shared the escargot by far the tastiest we've had in the whole city and the cheapest 12 went for the price of 6 at most other establishments. we tried the pig snout salty and with a nice texture. for main courses we had the duck confit which was frankly to die for. as well as frankfurts which gave a nice twist on the classic would happily dine here again by far my best experience in paris, no wonder people line up out the block for a table at peak meal times read more

Bouillon Chartier - Pig snout - French Near Me - Paris, 01

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Staff: incredibly friendly Place: dark noisy not for claustrophobic Food: cheap mass product served at room temp or cold vegetables look tired below average for France or actually any other country . For tourists that for sure will never go back there read more

Steak was tough like a shoe, the duck confit was okay. Lacked flavor. Cooked properly at least.

Such a fun experience while in Paris. You wait outside for a table, are seated in very close proximity, and have to flag down a waiter. Drink a bottle (or two) of wine and go for the desert! Best part of our meal read more

I speak fluent French but with a American accent and I have spoken French as my maternal languages till my parent passed 20 years ago .. I've lived in France .. my Senegal waiter who did not speak English was rude and with attitude that these Americans should eat somewhere else I ordered 1 dozen escargot , two eggs with mayonnaise and the pate de compagne and a half of house white wine and a large bottle of Perrier Please understand I have ordered in French 100 times in France far more complicated request He was making faces and with a brusque manner I could swear that extra salt bb was sprinkled on my food that made it totally un eatable .. if they don't want the tourist trade even if you speak fluent French they should say so American go home sign should hang in the entrance read more

Déçu... La queue était longue et sous la pluie. Les serveurs étaient gentils, mais je pense qu'il y avais beaucoup trop de clientèle, j'ai demandé de la mayo trois fois et une carafe d'eau 4 fois! Les plats étaient décevants mais surtout le pièce de viandes que je ne pouvais pas couper. Le plus choquant était le pain qu'ils ont réutilisé (il était mou et il y avait de la sauce dessus). read more

It's worth a visit. Mass French eating hall with a lot of history. It's a huge place, there is a huge queue that moves quite fast...don't be dissuaded. Try it French, English menus...not a whole lot of selection in the menu. But, it's enough to have a great time. Excellent for large groups, birthdays, baptisms, etc. They are very efficient at feeding and moving people here. However, you are never rushed. Stay as long as your want at your table (s). Great mix of locals, tourists, and wanderers. Watch your purse and your wallet. This place is busy. Prices are super low, wine flows easily. The bread was hard as a rock even with butter on it. This is probably what kept me from giving it five stars. Bread is basic. It should not be rock hard. Order everything at once: appetizers, entree, side dishes. Dessert can be ordered later. Reasonable sized portions. You won't leave hungry there are no reservations. You'll be seated by group size. It's very efficient. read more

By far the worst meal I have had. The chicken was inedible, the frisée salad was tough with lardons that were soft and bland instead of crisp. Even the pomme frites were inedible - mealy, tasteless, and an odd yellow colour. 3 of us had the steak poivre - tough and bland. The chocolate mousse was also terrible. Several years ago this was a different restaurant- the Montparnasse 1900 - it is still a beautiful restaurant, but you'd be better off going to McDonalds. read more

There was a line and the place is bustling, but the service was fairly speedy and the food delicious overall. Loved the choucroute!

We went thinking this place was going to be great because of the long lines we saw every lunch time and dinner time. So we decided to try. We both ordered the steak and fries. I order mine medium rare and my fiancé medium well. The steaks came out looking good but they where both cooked medium rare and both where super tough and chewy. It was even hard to cut with the steak knives. The worst steak I've ever eaten in my life from anywhere and I'm not even exaggerating. And I've eaten at some not so great places before. The fries were ok but lacking salt. The soup was decent. The service was standard for France. The wine also was good but the wine glass had a crack in it. The place looks nice inside and the outside lights might be what attracts people and tourists. I hope this isn't somewhere where the locals go and think the food is great. Or maybe it is good but we just happened to both get the worst cuts of steak ever. Oh and the free bread was even kinda bland. I also ordered cheese but it never came out but was still charged for it. Try any other place on the block but stay away from here. read more

Bouillon Chartier - Cracked wine glass - French Near Me - Paris, 01

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I was surprised to see there wasn't a line! Not even a person. We ordered pig trotter and fries. It was ok because it was a bit too salty for my liking. The beef stew was good. I liked the beef but most of the veggies were tasteless and there was no stew to the beef stew!! Service was good. The room was pretty crowded. This restaurant looked fancy and we went during lunch time! read more

$34 for 2 plates of poorly cooked chicken and expired vegetables with brown lettuce..

Absolutely loved our meal, totally worth the wait (which despite the long line, didn't actually end up taking more than 20 minutes to get seated). The steak frites is hangar steak, and with the pepper sauce, was so so so delicious. Service was fast and professional. But the real reason to go is to experience a beautifully restored art nouveau space with traditional, reasonably priced French food. This was recommended to us by a French couple and we were so glad we went. Had aperitifs, appetizers, entrees, a bottle of wine, coffee, and desert, all in a beautiful space, and with great service for $75! read more