Great Experience One of the oldest restaurants in Paris and it is classified as a historic monument. The atmosphere is amazing. The decor is beautiful. The service is quick, nice and friendly. The food is cheap and good, but nothing special. The waiters calculate bills by hand. The line might be long. read more

Bouillon Chartier - Since 1896 - French Near Me - Paris, 75

See all

This restaurant is very big and well decorated on the interior, however I found the food and service to be lacking. I was recommended this restaurant by my Uber driver who insisted that this place had the best quality food for its value. Given his enthusiasm, I decided to give it a try since I was touring in the area. I was initially impressed with this place - it was HUGE! The entrance was grand and beautiful, all decked out in gold! The hallway seemed like it never ended as the host led us to our table in the very back. FOOD and SERVICE: After being given about a minute to look over the menu, our server came to greet us for our orders. Immediately I felt uncomfortable with how rushed we were. Nonetheless, I hastily made a decision and ordered something I soon came to regret. That aside, I was surprised at the lack of service I received - I ordered tea, the soup of the day, and my main entree (oven baked sea bass). I was not impressed with the quality of the food - it tasted like it was hastily made by a novice kitchen staff that just started out. 1. The soup was mediocre - not what I expected. 2. the sea bass was VERY flavorless and plain. The plain baked potatoes served with the dish was the exact same situation. 3. They never served me my tea until I had flagged the server down twice (after I was served my entree). 4. Their servers were always rushing around, not paying much attention to our needs. 5. Their fries tasted like they were reheated microwave fries. I'm going to give it the benefit of the doubt - maybe I just ordered the wrong dish. However as I left, I peeped at the dishes that others have ordered. A lot of people also ordered the oven baked sea bass and I could only wonder how they managed to stomach that dish when I had such difficulty. Overall I would not recommend this restaurant to others if you're looking for a quality French meal - you could probably find others that are much more worth it. read more

See all

Very traditional French food, waiters are sweethearts, food comes out in literal seconds and we had maybe a 5 minute wait to be seated. The baked fish was AMAZING and the beef bourgeoisie (I think that's how it's spelled?) was also very good. Green beans were a lil hard but good in taste. Yes, some of the other food is not that great (carrots w vinaigrette, mushrooms) It's fast and casual though and such a great little experience. Jesse our waiter was the best and took such good care of us read more

Bouillon Chartier - Baked fish, Jesse, green beans, carrots, mushrooms - French Near Me - Paris, 75

You get what you pay for. The food is subpar. Busy. Noisy. I questioned the cleanliness of the utensils and plates. I would describe it as French food in a dim sum style Chinese restaurant. I wouldn't come here ever again. read more

Based on the recommendation from the front desk of the hotel, my colleague and I were excited to have our first dining experience in Paris...and was utterly disappointed. Located on the main road in front of the train station, it was easy to find and the décor (brass + wood panels) and atmosphere raised my expectations. I ordered the duck confri with potato and the quarter leg was dry and bland in taste; my colleague ordered meat with pomme frites (actual menu description) which was an "okay" steak. Wine was good, service was so-so, actually disappointing. Pros: * Location, décor, lots of character and history Cons: * Service was blah; I ordered the house salad and it did not arrive * It seems that gnats or fruit flies were all over the place and we were busy swatting them away at the same time trying to eat My first dining experience in Paris was an utter disappointment - was it because we were early? Do not know and I will not be returning to find out if it was the case. There are many other options and choices...my recommendation is to try them. read more

Probably the most memorable French restaurant experience I had in the city while I was in Paris. The food is, shocking, affordable for how popular this place is, everything feels "traditionally done" and you get to interact with other patrons and share stories. I must of been super lucky or something because when I arrived to Bouillon Chartier there was no line. This was just around 5:30pm on a weekday so I don't know if that is the "magic time" to go or not... when I finally did leave the restaurant there was a line reaching all the way from the entrance to the sidewalk. Once inside I was seated to a table with many other patrons which is an experience I have not had in a while. It reminds me of some restaurants that do this in Manhattans Chinatown. Luckily the people sitting next to me were also all tourists and quite the conversationalists. The person I was sited in front of was a British national who was visiting the city for a third time. He was telling me all sorts of stories about his trips in France, including the time he took the pilgrim routes to Mont Saint Michele while the tide was low. Since we were all tourists it was fun to talk about Paris from a tourists perspective. I have to hand it the waiters here for making the experience fun as well. The waiter assigned to us was both friendly and funny. At one point he even pointed out I left a snail in its shell before taking out dishes away, so I am grateful he pointed that out to us. The waiters here are also famous for doing the billing calculations by hand... on the actual tables themselves! I don't think I have ever seen that before. The food at Bouillon Chartier is also great for its price. The most French thing I had was the escargot though I also had the Polish kielbasa. The kielbasa was good and I really enjoyed the escargot. In my previous trip to Paris I had some cheesy escargot in another restaurant that I did not enjoy so this with one was a big step up. It is not only worth going for its history... but also because its a great restaurant in general. Just be prepared to talk to strangers and potentially wait in line though. read more

See all

Food was good and inexpensive for Paris. Our waiter Authur, #59, made our meal entertaining and informative. He's a real asset to the restaurant! read more

Terrible food, not with the wait. I'm astonished on how there is a line. Meat came raw, had to send t back and was bland. I don't understand why this place is packed. It's cheap for a reason. read more

Bouillon Chartier - Long wait for bad food - French Near Me - Paris, 75

Who doesn't want to try escargots in Paris? My friend and I found this restaurant recommended in an article and it was a very popular place. We ordered escargots, ribeye steak with fries and spaghetti bolognese. The food was good but it wasn't over the top like I expected this meal to be. The flavors were on point and it was flavorful. I enjoyed our meal but the company was better! Also we had an fun loving server who was our first experience with a Frenchman and it made this experience so fun. No matter where I go to eat, it's always the positive vibes and ambiance that makes or breaks a restaurant and this one is one I will always remember! read more

See all

It didn't look like much when we found this place on our first night in Paris. I asked for something with duck and foie gras, I was craving for it all day and was hoping to have something like those food on my first day. When we got there, boy, it was packed! I didn't realize it was THAT popular and we jumped into the long line and waited for about 30-40 minutes. I was grateful for another part of the building to keep us warm before waiting outside in the cold. Oh, they were selling warm wine too! I was so so so excited to get one and sip a bit while in line. By the time we got our turn to get a table, the restaurant was filled of people and the waiters were all over the place! We were led to our table upstairs and were handed menus, and discovered that their duck dish was out - dammit. I decided on a traditional veal stew and wine. They were pretty good still. Did I mention they were reasonably priced? I've noticed the other restaurants would charge so much for the same dish while this one was just right price. Anyway, I would recommend this place for the first timers. Oh, oh, I ate escargots too! They were really good with butter and garlic. read more

Bouillon Chartier - Escargots! - French Near Me - Paris, 75

See all

Best service in Paris, server number 6 was the best, they are well organized and friendly. It makes up for all the bad service in other restaurants and public places in Paris. I visited the restaurant two times while I visited Paris and I would do it again, escargot and wine was delicious, great prices.! read more

See all

I love this place for the ambiance, food is good but not great. You'll be surprised how reasonable it is. It's a very unique experience, if you are a 2 top you may have to share a table with another because they are so busy. read more

See all

Euro for Euro, this place is probably as good as it gets in Paris. A very good three-course meal for three in a historic restaurant, including 50cl of wine for €60 ... now that's a TravelValue folks! First of all, expect a line, a long line when you arrive, but do not feel dismayed because the queue moves very quickly thanks to the massive dining room with dozens of staff. They even have a wine station at the halfway point in the queue where you can get a cup of sangria, mulled wine, or their wine o' the day for just €1. No screwing around here y'all, you had better be ready to order post haste and the same goes after you pay - get the hell out so the next party can get on with their meal. The waiter's know their shit and do not mess around, so if you are not decided on what to order, do not waste their time because they have 10 other tables to worry about.This is not Italy where meals are at a leisurely pace and you have the table for the whole night - this is Paris and Bouillon Chartier! I had half a dozen escargot (€7.30), steak au poivre with pommes frites (€11.50), chocolate mousse (€3.10) and a glass of wine. The snails were scrummy, having mopped up the excess garlic butter and parsley with a crust of baguette or two just for old times sake. The steak was not the best cut in the world and it was not particularly tender, but the taste was spot-on as were the peppercorn gravy and hot, crispy French fries. The mousse was thick, rich and chocolaty, just the way it should be. My wife had a mixed green salad (€2.30) for her entree, the roasted pork loin with boiled new potatoes in a reduction sauce (€8.80), that was as good if not better than mine, for her plat, and the mousse as well. The salad was fresh, the three large slices of pork tender, and the potatoes well cooked. The best dish of the night was the traditional veal stew and white rice (€11.20) with big chunks of veal, carrots and potatoes in a thick, creamy white sauce reminiscent of a wonderful meal I had at a little roadside place in the South of France many years ago. The veal was tender as a whore's heart and the sauce divine. Unfortunately, I did not order it, our friend did, but it will be on my radar the next time I eat here, because, as MacArthur said: "I shall return!". What a great place! The massive dining room is typically French and ornate with an art deco vibe given the fact that the place is over 100 years old. The food and service are both top notch, especially for the price. Where else can you get a tasty three course dinner for €20 and get thrown out by the waiter - in a nicely roundabout way - when you are done eating? Only at Bouillon Chartier folks ... HOOAH! CombatCritic Gives Bouillon Chartier 9 Bombs Out Of 10 ... More Bombs Are Better! read more

See all

Food: 3 | Ambiance: 3 | Service: 2 To be honest I had a much higher expectation of this place. I arrived at ~5:40 to meet the rest of my group at 6 and I saw that the restaurant was practically empty. However, within the 20 mins I waited for my group people started to flow in constantly. By the time they arrived a bit after 6 the entire restaurant was full. So definitely get here early if you want to try this place out! By the time we left, the line was practically wrapping around the building. We came for a casual Christmas Eve dinner to try out their Christmas menu. We had the bouchée à la reine, escargot, foie gras, and the lobster special. The highlight of the meal was definitely the escargot. On the other hand, the lobster was my least favorite dish. I didn't finish it. I gave the other half to my brother who claimed it was very average (or even below average) compared to the other lobster dishes he has had in the past. It was a cold, seafood buffet style lobster with way too much of a horseradish-type sauce smeared on top. It was served with an inedible slaw that had mushy peas and carrots. I was disappointed with their Christmas menu overall. Service is not great either. We had to ask multiple times for forks. Somehow for a table set for four we had 1 fork, and 6 knives. What? We started our meal trying to eat with the knives while we waited for our server to bring forks. We also had a cracked wine glass on our table. I think Chartier is usually hyped due to its unique decor and affordable traditional menu. TLDR: Come early, would advise not to order the cold lobster Christmas special. read more

Bouillon Chartier - Half cold lobster - Christmas Eve - French Near Me - Paris, 75

See all

Sorry not sorry. I'm a good cook and this place was a recommended so I was excited. The place is lovely but that's where it stopped. I ordered the fish and chips because I heard it was good. I'm from a fish town - it looked and tasted like it came from a box I didn't finish it. My other guests - steak way undercooked - it HAD to be sent back. Waiter came back with the same steak which now looked like a hockey puck. Guess the chef was pissed. The waiter could have cared less and seemed uninterested. She couldn't eat her meal. Paid the bill with no adjustments. Was glad to leave. I've had good food in Paris - just not here. And when you have no "skin in the game" it shows. And on that note we went to a family owned restaurant and it was amazing. Do better you have Olympics coming up! read more

I got there before lunch time, seated immediately. Friendly staff, be prepared to be seated next to people if you're eating solo. I had duck confit and 6 snails. Both items were delicious. Potatoes were melt in your mouth. They do accept credit cards. read more

See all

These use to be the place to come, yet after the pandemic all of these Chartier in Paris have taken the fast track down hill. I have eaten at 3 of them and the food (Main dishes) have become outright terrible. Brown chicken, super tough meat, burned up tasteless fish served with dried out French fries, so it goes. So, what to do?? My suggestion is come for the wine, (Merlot in the unmarked bottle), an appetizer (called entree on the menu) and a dessert. Eat your plate ( Main dish) elsewhere or be very very very ( that's three Very's ) disappointed. By the way enjoy the decor of what was once a magnificent restaurant. read more

Food 3 stars Ambiance 4 stars Service 2 stars Averages out to 3 overall First off I would return to BC in a heartbeat if I were in the neighborhood. But I'd be lying if I said I'd go back because the food and service are great because they aren't. The food was solid and it was a terrific value for Paris and for the setting-which is turn of the century gorgeous. But the seasoning of the dishes was bland and the quality of the meats was just okay. Service was harried and dismissive. But again-I'd go for the bustling old-world charm of the circa-1896 interior and the solid maman cuisine they serve (think country terrine, plain puréed vegetable soup, tough steak and frites, choucroute garnie, roast chicken, leeks vinaigrette, chocolate mousse). My adult son and I enjoyed the food and the experience while there but within hours we agreed the food was just not that impressive at all. We each had apps, plat, dessert, and shared a large Perrier and carafe of red. The total bill was €57, pretty damned cheap for 3 courses plus drinks in the 9th Arr, Paris. read more

See all

Food was ok, not expensive for sure, the dining room is pretty big so you don't really have to go line up before it opens. Service is ok, not a big fan of "sharing" table with strangers. read more

Bouillon Chartier is worth a visit for the amazing original Art Nouveau decor with beautiful tiling, mirrors with wood detail, globe lamps typical of the era and an illuminated glass ceiling. No wonder the place has been a Historic Monument since 1984. The atmosphere is very lively and you usually have to wait in line to get a table, although they are open from 11am to 11pm, so we went around 10pm and did not have to wait. The servers, dressed in black vests and white long aprons, can also be quite an interesting experience. They write your order on the paper tablecloths, are very busy and not always very pleasant. The night we visited, we witnessed two of them constantly arguing over which one should take care of us, annoying but at the same time so bad it's comical. You are also likely to share your table with a perfect stranger, and that's part of the charm of the place. Bouillon Chartier is mostly famous for its traditional cuisine at very affordable prices. The food is simple and satisfying. Bouillon Chartier is an experience! read more

See all

Great food, loved the service. We had the escargot for dinner. The area was beautiful as we sat outside. read more

Bouillon Chartier - Escargot and baguette - French Near Me - Paris, 75

Since I walked by many times and saw long lines, I thought I'd try it during an off time. I have no idea what the hype is. I ordered the vegetable soup and the Beef Bourguignon. The vegetable soup wasn't bad for 1 euro. The meat fell apart and was quite tasty. The small pasta that accompanied the meat was cold! The waiter seemed put out, but yet smiled when he gave be the bill. read more

Incredible value and ambiance for a real French food experience in Paris. Highly recommended. Jeremy our service is attentive.

I really want to love this place but ended up unimpressed and unlikely to return. The line to get in was crazy, The portions and quality were average. The wine list was average. The escargo were overcooked and cold. The setting was nice, but communal seating made for an average experience. Paris has much better to offer than average. read more

Finally tried the Bouillon Chartier! Last year I was visiting France in need of my foodie-dose, I had lived in North America for already about 2 years and lost most use of my tastebuds. As local friends had told me before, I should try any Bouillon while in Paris, Bouillon is a name for some old french restaurants that carry traditions of the same comfort food. Nothing like a Michelin star but I'm not here for those.. The dining room got this sort of authentic and dusty French spot, it's just missing the checkered table cloth and welcome at my grandma's house guys. Funny fact they write every single item you order on the paper table cloth and at the end the server will add them all like at school and give you the price! Remember here taxes and tips are included folks. Since I'm from the south, I had to get me a piece of duck confit. Comes with "pommes grenailles" which are very simple roasted small potatoes with rosemary and olive oil. Add a side of mushrooms "a la provencale" and a cider from Bretagne and boi we are on! Oh and I also started the festivities with some devil's egg topped with perfectly done homemade mayonnaise. Of course they give you a basket of bread, and will give you more bread if you finish it all by yourself like I did as the grown french kid I am. To pair I had to order some Pont l'Evêque cheese, no red wine for me today tho. To close the deal, espresso coffee and "chou chantilly" (puff pastry with whipped cream) sandwiching vanilla ice cream and doused in chocolate sauce. All this work for something around 25eur. Please take my money!! So far the service here is very Parisian, some team members looked very professional and some seemed like they wish they were dead rather than working at all. But I don't mind the way my server was even lost because he obviously looked like he was trying, and also it was about 3pm so I assume he just got up from a siesta or wasn't expecting someone by himself eating a whole meal in the afternoon. I'll be back guys. Next time I'm bringing the crazy American wife so get ready. read more

If you're a tourist and you ask a local or someone from your hotel's front desk about where to go for lunch or dinner, they may recommend you to Bouillon Chartier. Our hotel was a block away and walking by here in our first two nights, it was crowded, with the long lines it looked like people were waiting to get in a hot club. We came here at the start of dinner time, and we got lucky for the wait time being just five minutes. I ordered the "Roasted Free-Range Chicken" (8.90). The chicken tasted okay, it's not as seasoned. The is skin buttery, so you'll notice its moist and oily on the outside. It had very little gravy toppings, therefore it's a tad plain. The "Grilled Rump Steak with Pepper Sauce" (11.50). The rump steak had tender insides, but it wasn't as tasty. However, the creamy sauce is where most of the flavor comes from. Both entrees includes French fries. My wife got the "6 Snails" (6.60). She didn't like it too much, because it lacked the garlic and butter flavors. Overall, our meals was about average. Nothing too mouth watering, but I was happy to have a bottle Pinot Noir with On the table there's hot mustard, similar as Grey Poupon that can be use as a spread on your complimentary baguette. The significance of Bouillon Chartier is the prices, you can get entrees under ten euros. So you may end up ordering more food on your table. They serve pretty much simple dishes, if you're looking for fancy cuisines with better quality, this place may not be for you. In addition, I do recommend this place versus other touristy restaurants with the similar menu around Paris. This restaurant is well over a hundred years old, its best to give this place a try at least once. read more

See all

Good food. Great prices. Fantastic atmosphere. And the best waiter I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. Jessy is a goddam RockStar! Thank you for a great night out in Paris! Too bad it's... "So Far Away from LA." read more

Bouillon Chartier - Say hello to Jessy, the best waiter in Paris. - French Near Me - Paris, 75

See all

Nice, bustling, historic building. An incredibly long wait for nice food with decent prices although the merlot was not great, it's what comes with the price of it. Everything was very quick but the line was incredibly long (30-45 minutes). We came on a Sunday night so this was, I imagine, not a typical experience. read more

Bouillon Chartier - The Chef's Cut - French Near Me - Paris, 75

Honestly stay away if you came to Paris and want to have a decent meal. We had the escargot, frisée salad, eggs mayonnaise, profiterole, and the steak with fries and sauce that everyone talks about. The food was so bland! While the escargot was fine in texture and sauce, it's really hard to mess up drenching something in better. The salad was crisp, but the dressing was too acidic. There is an option with lardons and we should've probably ordered that. The eggs mayonnaise was also bland, but the mayo was useful for dipping the fries in. And the profiterole (recommended by our waiter) was so awfully stale. The chocolate syrup tasted like hersheys; it was such a disappointment. The steak and fries were lukewarm, and the sauce was a letdown. I was expecting more depth of flavor but it was a gravy you can expect in a frozen tv dinner. The sangria was decent, but nothing special. The service: our waiter was polite and moved very quickly. Everyone there was hustling and very efficient. Many spoke fluent English Only come here if you have a large party and want to eat on a budget at like 4pm when everything else is closed :( read more

Unique experience eating at a hundred year old restaurant. Waiters know the best and tell you what to order. I was told that menu didn't change a lot so you can experience what people here ate 100 years ago. We enjoyed it. read more

The place is touristy and the food is mediocre at best even considering the lower price. Service people are excellent & super friendly. We kinda expected this and went early to avoid the crowd. Not worth the wait in queue for sure in my opinion. Much better places near by. Really want to like this place but didn't. Will remember this place as the place with the worst escargots I ever had... read more

This is one of the worst meals I've had anywhere. The prices are low, and you get less than what you pay for. The ambience is unique, but every item we ordered was bad. Boiled potatoes without flavor, tough bread, an entire bony fish with nothing to recommend it. . . . Our waiter was polite and gracious, though. read more

Comparatively cheaper than many other French restaurants, I can see why this place gets busy later in the evening. The place is pretty big, but gets crowded as we dropped in around 8pm. We were seated in the back corner, and patrons are typically put quite close to each other. The waiters, seemingly in a rush, write the orders on the table, which I thought was unique. Our party of 3 got the escargot and blue cheese endive salad to share, and I got the duck confit as my entree. First time having escargot, and it is as people say: texture of seafood, taste of butter and garlic. Blue cheese on the endive salad was strong, but of course you should know that if you order blue cheese. The entree itself was alright - I feel like the duck could have been slightly more tender, as I ended up chewing the duck off the bone around the end. Overall, would recommend this place to try French food in a restaurant atmosphere on a budget. What was interesting is that the waiter, who I thought to be a bit hurried ended up high-fiving all of us at the end after we gave him a tip. Nice. read more

Bouillon Chartier - Duck confit - French Near Me - Paris, 75

See all

TLDR: Looks are deceiving! Low-quality, fast service & nice decor. That being said, this is a very popular restaurant and there are long lines by 7pm. Group of four had dinner at this restaurant on a Sunday at 6:30. Right off the bat, we were seated at a very cramped table with our backs pushed up against the table behind us. At other tables, groups of two were paired with other random groups of two. The good: - fast service - nice decor - escargot was good The bad: - bread was hard (foie gras) - meat was dry - spaghetti was ... wet - fries were not salty - fish was SUPER bony and difficult to eat read more

See all

Fancy place. I thought the food would be expensive but it's pretty down to earth. Great for lunch for sure and worth going to if in Paris. This place gets 2000 people a day during tourist season so they are obviously doing it right. Food is fresh, inexpensive with Parisian decor. I'll definitely be back! read more

TERRIBLE! Our waiter was just extremely rude and the food was very subpar, even for the price. 30 seconds after sitting he came over and said "action action hurry up" to rush us to order. Meanwhile the French couple next to us who were sitting before we were even seated, they ordered after us and were not rushed at all. We ordered 3 appetizers and 2 entrees since my mother doesn't eat much. After I said my mother doesn't eat much he said "but she can eat bread with mustard... no I know how this thinking works" - as if to imply we were trying to be cheap? For some reason, he gave us a third entree. When I flagged him, he just said "madame" in an exasperated way and walked away. After I put the entree to the end of the table, finally he came over to ask the problem. When I said I didn't order it, he claimed we had or else he would not have written it down. Every time he came to deliver our food, he would say "action action" to get us to move our hands away for him to put the dishes down. Even the French table next to us stifled their laughter when he did this. When we were counting our cash to the bill, he kept saying "oh my god oh my god" as if he was annoyed at how slow we were. Because of all his rushing we left before the table next to us, who - let me remind you - was seated before us! As for the food, the steak was terrible. It was small and very hard to chew. Afterwards, all I felt was hungry and as if I ate cardboard. I will say, the escargot though was very good. With such and service and mediocre food, I do not think this place is worth it, especially if you are not (1) Caucasian or (2) French. They treat foreigners but especially non-Caucasian foreigners very rudely. read more

See all

Great dining experience. Food is good, not great. My wife loved her roasted chicken. Great value. Don't expect a lot of privacy as seating is very snug. On the plus side you get to meet new folks. read more

We ran into a lady at a retail store. She recommended this restaurant. We find it and get in line. A guy comes up to us and tells us we are not in line. The line is back there. So there is. A line to get into line. So we get in that line. We waited. So we finally get in line. Then we get into the building. Oh no it's just another line waiting to get into the line. Yep. So we waited. We finally get into the restaurant. Get seated and they put another couple at the same table. ?? So we order. Menu is all French. My wife can read some French. I order the chicken she ordered the Duck. Chicken was ok the Duck was amazing. Like stupid good amazing. The atmosphere was very interesting. I liked it a lot. The bill came. It was 33.5€. I felt like I robbed them. I would do it again. read more

Bouillon Chartier - French Near Me - Paris, 75

This place is very overhyped with subpar food and service. This is a total tourist trap. There are far better choices for eateries. My boyfriend and I stood in line for about 20 minutes before we were seated. The restaurant is huge. As previous reviews stated, you're seated at a table with other guests. So my party of two sat at a table of 4 with a mother and daughter. Upon being seated we were greeted by the waiter. He was initially very pleasant until our choice of food and drink dissatisfied him. We both asked for Cokes and water. The waiter literally gave out a condescending laugh as if us wanting to drink a Coke was beneath him. He then asked what kind of wine would we like and we declined any. He literally rolled his eyes saying "okay" and walked away. We literally had been consuming so much wine during our trip that we both wanted to take a break from alcoholic beverages; sorry! He brought our drinks and then asked to take our orders. My boyfriend ordered steak and fries with escargot as an appetizer. When it was time for me to order, the waiter asked what appetizer did I want. I informed him that we would share the appetizer my boyfriend ordered, and he smirked as if, again, us not ordering what he wanted was beneath him. I continued and ordered spaghetti and a side of French fries; I had a craving for fries that day. The appetizer and food all came out together and everything was cold and flavorless. My boyfriend and I literally took a few bites and looked at each other in disbelief. We literally left full plates of food on the table. The waiter came over to check on us and we asked for the check. He asked if we were done eating and I informed him yes. Hell broke loose! He snatched our plates from the table and walked away saying "waste of good food." I know he wanted us to hear him because he said it in English instead of French. Us being tourists and not being fully aware of social norms in Paris, we both kindly paid the bill and walked away from the restaurant without a complaint to a manager. While we waited for the waiter to bring the card back, we both went to the restrooms and came back to the table with interesting findings. Both restrooms were not kept and smelled awful. We had an awful experience here. Avoid at all cost! Restaurant suggestions: Re Di Napoli, L'Atelier Etoile de Joël Robuchon. These are the only restaurants I remember by name. read more

See all

You need to take the his place for what it is - and never get caught in the lines waiting for a table! Chartier (and all Bouillon) are time portals and evoke history. Get anything boiled ("bouillon, get it?)- leave the roast chicken or steak frites to another bistro. The history is of lesser cuts of meat prepared for cheap consumption by workers. Chartier is a trip - a must try place, but in a city so full of special bistros, once is enough! If you can't get in, or want to try again, Bouillon Pigalle is fun too. Enjoy! read more