Chez Janou will likely be the finest meal I will eat during our trip to Paris and Cannes, its only day 1 and I am that confident. The vast majority of the reviews are correct, I can understand how the service can be deemed standoffish. We have 3 servers, 2 out of the 3 we're fantastic. One borderline rude, no one is raining on my parade (and yes it was raining) This is as French as French comes, the menu is in French and the servers only speak French.....thank god for Yelp and Yelpers specific pictures with the exact names of the dishes. Magret de canard au romarin which is Duck Breast, potatoes, mushrooms served with the most fabulous wine sauce on the side. The dish was 10 stars, ordered medium the duck came out crispy on top and juicy in the middle. Phenomenal is all I can say. My wife ordered the sea scallops over wheat risotto, the scallops were good but we wish we would have known that the risotto was wheat Rather than the standard rice. It was very good but not what we wanted. The French bread that is served with the meal not before the meal is perfectly crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. No butter is on the table, instead their house olive oil is off the charts great, perfectly fruity but not over powering. The grand finale was their signature chocolate mousse which is served in a soup terrine and is the finest chocolate mousse a diner can receive.....the crazy thing is it's $9!euros and could feed 20 people. The meal was $55 euros with service/tax included. There is a lovely wine list with prices by the glass and bottle however we abstained as we had pregamed. If in the Bastille section of Paris check out this restaurant. We arrived at 11pm and the restaurant was packed, I can't imagine what it's like at 8pm.....make a reservation if dining at prime time. read more

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tried this place at the recommendation of a friend, an expat who'd been living in the area for a few months. i dined solo so it was fairly easy to be seated at the bar. it's very obviously a spot for locals, the ambiance was very fun and lively and i can see why it was recommended. the reason for a 3/5 was because the mushroom risotto i ordered wasn't really all that appealing. i'm not sure if it's because i'm used to different spices/flavors but it tasted quite bland, and with paired with the texture it became a bit too much. if i had the chance to return and try something else i would, since the menu was in french and i don't speak it i just picked the most identifiable dish which was a mistake on my part. read more

Chez Janou - back area - Bistros Near Me - Paris, 75

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Staff was very friendly & accommodating as we were stuck in traffic for 1 hour and late to our reservation. They kept the table clear for us and the restaurant was so lively! Make a reservation if you are planning to go for dinner. The ambience is warm and youthful, perfect for a date or intimate meal with friends. I love Chez Janou and will be returning. It might actually be my favorite restaurant in Paris! read more

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We had an absolutely wonderful experience at Chez Janou! Food was great, service was impeccable and atmosphere was absolutely memorable! I highly recommend you stop here on your next trip to Paris. read more

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FOOD 5/5 Heard a lot about the ratatouille so I had to try it for myself and I will say it did not disappoint!!!! Portion size was a bit small but the entree portion size definitely made up for it!! ENVIRONMENT 5/5 Very typical French restaurant. Small, kinda dark, crowded because so many ppl want to eat!! Waited about 20 minute when they told us 1 hour wait! Awesome! SERVICE 5/5 Very nice, especially to tourists (at least the water we got) spoke great English! We tried practicing our French and they were patient - very impressed! read more

Chez Janou - Bistros Near Me - Paris, 75

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I would not recommend this to any tourist especially if you have limited time. It's impossible to make reservations and you will wait for 1-2hours. The food is ok and not worth the long wait I can guarantee that. We came here at 9pm. We were with some other people waiting, maybe European. But I noticed that the staff sitting and enlisting customers checks on them and apologized for the wait but did not even make eye contact with us. Though we are right in front of her face. We were pretty chill at first because they told us the waiting time and we agreed. But after waiting for an hour and be treated like this, I just couldn't help but feel offended. We came a long way to come here, and my biggest regret was staying for this food. After the very long 1.5 hour, we were told we can be seated, but in the bar. When we entered, there were 4 seats open in the bar. We asked for the food menu, apparently they have none. We asked the bartender and she pointed us the one hand-written in the board behind us. We obviously don't speak French and would like to see a printed menu where I could take a picture and translate it via google translate. However, since we were pointed to this board and not given a menu, we just worked our way and thank God google translate worked. We were able to eat past 11pm. Was it worth waiting for 1.5 hour? Was it worth eating dinner at 11 in the evening? Was it worth riding the train at 12:00am as a tourist? (BTW, the walk to the train station is a bit sketchy). It's all NO! There are so many places to eat in Paris. This place is not the one. The food, the staff, the bartender, the aggravation, the long wait are all not worth it. Your time is more important, you wanna feel good and treated well when you eat. They will not respect that here. So choose wisely on how you will use your time and money in Paris. read more

One of my favorite restaurants in Paris. Always crowded so come ready to wait or get a reservation.

My new favorite Paris restaurant. We didn't have a reservation on a busy rainy afternoon, yet the host was very gracious to find a table. Tucked into the entryway we enjoyed the lively friendly atmosphere of both the bar and the dining room. Everything we had was fantastic. Petit Chèvre in a tasty red Romarin sauce, stuffed vegetable farci, Brandade de Haddock. The house red wine was inexpensive and fantastic, pay for what you drink. Excellent location behind the Place des Vosges. read more

Amazing find in Marais, it's a tiny spot which is almost all local and it specializes in Southern French / Provençal cuisine. The cheese ravioli was an amazing starter that could be a small entree as well, the prawns were cooked to perfection and make room for the chocolate mousse. The service was wonderful, they made us feel welcome, and well taken care of in this bustling and fun cafe. It is the Parisian bistro people think of but don't get to experience in the more touristy spots. It's mostly French speaking but it's nothing a few basic French lessons or phrases would allow you to really enjoy your time there. There's no reservations, you put your name on the list and wait, the bar area is small. read more

My very-foodie friends (three of them) hugely recommend this place, and now, I do too. We ate here twice. Each time it was terrific. A smallish place, very busy, expect to wait for a table if you have no reservation. Once you are seated, they take care of you, but at the French pace. If you expect to eat and run, this is not the place (and neither, for that matter, are most sit-down restaurants in Paris). The food is all amazing and most of it not your standard fare. The roast duck breast was huge and amazing; pork with apricots masterful. The frog legs were fried and delectable; and we absolutely loved the lamb stew, that had us sweeping the bowl with bread. A cold eggplant entree was amazing. You have to order the chocolate mousse once. It comes in a giant bowl and they serve a massive mound of it. It's over the top. The second time, we went with a more modest dessert. Nothing here is less than terrific. Go here. Order anything. You will be so happy. read more

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Everything about the restaurant was excellent, the food, service, and ambience. Our waiter was fun and hopeful. The food was outstanding. The wine was exceptional. Will be looking forward to coming back. read more

The food was good, but I don't think it lives up to the hype. The bartender was great, but one server was terrible. A glass broke and some glass shards landed on my plate. The server just laughed and said "oops." There was no apology or any sense of concern. That was unacceptable. The bartender did some damage control after that because he saw was that I was utterly horrified. read more

Had to wait a long while (exactly how long they told us) for a Table on a Weds. great atmosphere/staff/food- exactly what we had been hoping to find!!!!! read more

Chez Janou - Bistros Near Me - Paris, 75

INCREDIBLE food. one of my favorite restaurants in Paris. It's hard to get a table so be prepared to wait but it's so so so worth it. read more

Chez Janou - Bistros Near Me - Paris, 75

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This place lived up to the hype. Called a few weeks ahead and made a reservation. We were seated immediately. Service was excellent. The food was superb. Super busy and patrons were seated close to each other. Filled with tourists and locals. A must when in Paris. read more

Nice little bistro. Good food with Provence influence. Nice atmosphere and good service. Prices maybe on the high side but still a worthwhile stop for lunch. I was going to rate it 4 stars but the mousse au chocolat dessert won me over!! A good neighborhood restaurant, maybe a bit touristy but solid. The chocolate mousse at will is incredibly thick and tasty. Joli petit bistrot. Bonne nourriture avec influence Provençale. Belle ambiance et bon service. Les prix peuvent être élevés mais c'est toujours un arrêt intéressant pour le déjeuner. J'allais le noter 4 étoiles mais le dessert mousse au chocolat m'a conquis !! Un bon resto de quartier, peut-être un peu touristique mais solide. La mousse au chocolat à volonté est incroyablement épaisse et goûteuse. read more

Ok.. so Chez Janou needs to be A1 on your Paris restaurant list. You may have to wait an hour but it is definitely worth it. My group and I ordered duck/steak/scallops and choc mousse and are convinced we could have ordered anything and would have felt the same. But also, like, you need to order the chocolate mousse.. Hope to make it back here in my lifetime.. also special shout out to the hostess' sense of humor and the jar of dijon mustard. from LA read more

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Fun spot...! Packed on a Friday night. Waited about 45 minutes. Super small space, friendly staff over half know some English. Menu is completely in French so you'll need help ordering if you don't speak French. Was just ok...! Had a Ribeye and some Mashed Potatoes for $24. Nothing to rave about. read more

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Chez- I am obsessed! First dinner in Paris. No reservations. Recommended by a friend. Sat outside. It's located in a very quiet and quaint area of Paris. There are heaters outside which were nice as it was somewhat chilly. I ordered escargot with pasta. It was good and my first time trying snails. Not the most flavorful dish. However my friends had risotto with scallops and the duck which were both very good. When you come here you must get the chocolate mousse. It's an absolute must. The best mousse of my life. They bring it out in a literal pot that could feed 10. Just 3 of us we got a little over half of it eaten. Very good and not too sweet. I would come back. read more

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We had a long layover in Paris and we found ourselves at cute little hotel in the city. Looking up nearby dinner restaurants we find Chez Janou. The reviews were great and it was only a 3 minute walk from our hotel. Some of the reviews mentioned getting reservations but we decided to try our luck and head there immediately. We got there around 7:30pm and the place was PACKED. No host in sight (I'm still not sure if it's seat yourself) but we found a table outside and sat down hoping we could eat. Luckily, our server spoke English and was very nice to help us figure out the menu! There's some reviews here that say service here is bad for foreigners but we did not have this issue. Tip: They have WiFi so use google to figure out the menu. There is no English menu. FOOD: Duck Breast. Oh my! A+++ I have never had duck breast before but looking at pictures and reviews... I decided to give it a try. I'm so happy I did!! This melts in your mouth. I loved the wine sauce that came with it. It's perfect in every way. Get this. Baked Mussels. A+++ This was sooooo good. We were literally licking the shells and I really considered hard about getting another round. The seasoning is perfect. I loved this. Get this too. Chocolate Mousse. B- This dessert is the most popular here and I think because it's more of a novelty. You get a BIG bowl (it's actually unlimited) of chocolate and it's really fun to take pictures of. However, it's your basic chocolate mousse. It was a fantastic dinner and made us want to come back to Paris! read more

I found this place when I was studying abroad in Paris, and I would absolutely recommend it. It's a charming French bistro that has quality French food and an incredible atmosphere. I found they were very accommodating too--I told them I was vegetarian and they prepared something off menu for my main course. Ratatouille and mousse au chocolat were standout items for me! Definitely call a day or two ahead and make a reservation. read more

Chez Janou - Ratatouille was fantastic! - Bistros Near Me - Paris, 75

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Super cute restaurant. Good food. But get a reservation before showing up!! They can be very rude!!

This restaurant was recommended by a French friend and it was amazing! Eating here was an experience. One reason was because it took forever once we were seated to have our order taken and then it took like an hour to get the check. People aren't joking when they say the French really enjoy their meals and don't rush. Only one waiter took care of 8 tables or so... we had to be really patient. Just relax and enjoy your meal and company! Our dining experience literally took 3 hours from start to finish. I got the duck breast (probably the most popular item here) and it didn't disappointment. Cooked medium rare perfectly and the potatoes were so creamy and smooth! You really don't get potatoes like that in America. My bf ordered the pot-au-feu (French beef stew) on a whim since it was a special written on the board and he loved it! It's beef shank, marrow, and vegetables in a really light, clear broth, unlike the thick gravy of American stews. The beef was fall-apart tender, and the stew was light but had a comforting home quality about it. Lastly, I have to mention the chocolate mousse! Omg you must get this. When you order the chocolate mouse, they just bring out a HUGE pot of mouse. You're not expected to eat the whole pot! Just spoon as much as you want onto your plate. If you finish and want more, just spoon out more mousse. The two of us ate as much as we could handle and we only ate like 1/8 of the pot. And it was seriously the best chocolate mousse ever. It was the perfect balance of dark chocolate and sweetness, definitely not too sweet. Rich but also airy. We still think about the mousse and dream of coming back! At the end they also gave us both a complimentary apple digestif. read more

My first time trying froglegs, and I am in love! I wish these were on every menu in D.C. instead of wings! read more

Chez Janou - Bistros Near Me - Paris, 75

This was my last meal in Paris so I was pretty excited to end my trip with a great meal. Based on the reviews I've read online about this place, I couldn't wait. I wasn't able to make reservation because there's no website, either that or I couldn't find it. I took a chance and went on a Tuesday night right when they just opened. The restaurant was pretty full on a Tuesday so I can't imagine the wait on the weekend without reservation. I like how they have olives at every table so customers can snack on them. We started out with the mussels and those were delicious. Definitely a must at this place. For the main dish, the duck breast was something I looked forward to since the beginning of my Paris trip, but it was disappointing. Meat wasn't tender and the flavor was lacking. My husband risotto with scallops were better, but I'd have prefer the risotto not to be tart though. The service was good and the mussels were delish, just not the duck breast in my book. read more

After waiting for an hour and ordering, this place not only refused my service after learning my ethnicity (black and Jewish), but the grubby smelly waiter was shedding his hair on to my table. Would not recommend unless your into racial discrimination. And I don't wanna split the room, but personally I am not a fan. read more

Went here after a long day, we attempted to make a reservation earlier but all was in french. The host was very nice and said he could give us till 8, we took it! nothing spoke to us on the menu, so we decided to just get some desert and a few drinks (3 of us so the bill was going to be high). We waited 10-15 minutes until our server came, he said he was "so ready for his" told him our order and said "if you aren't getting food I can't help you" and walked away. He rudely didn't even give us a chance to even order a starter. We saw this on Tik Tok and heard so much hype and was so excited. This is not worth it. Considering the service and high prices of the dinner options. I get that we are American and visiting but I wouldn't have had a problem if they stated this before we sat or if given a chance. If you have to order something else just tell us without even giving us an option. Highly disappointed. read more

Best meal I've had in Paris so far. The ambiance was great and the food even better, but definitely get a reservation or get there early!

Right out of a French post card kind of perfect. Lively and fun. Place was packed at 10:00 PM but they squeezed us in.Staff and other patrons were friendly. Everyone there to have a good time. Food was good. Enjoyed duck, scallops, mussels and pasta. Of course the chocolate soufflé. And then the shots of chestnut liqueur started flowing. Ended up with a bottle on our table shared with the table next to us. Sat outside in March. Maybe that is why the liqueur appeared? Waiter made our evening very fun. Good value for the experience. Highly recommend. read more

Chez Janou - Mussels grataine - Bistros Near Me - Paris, 75

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Fun and super French spot but also a looot of tourists. The food was really good though. I got the veal liver and it was soft like butter. So rich. My friend got the duck and wow it was amazing. If you want to semi-splurge for a night and meet fun people and sit and dine in a dimly lot crowded French restaurant then this is for you. Also tried the chocolate mousse cake which is HUGE btw and it was good. We only tried it cause the table next to us were also only two people and wanted to share because you clearly need an entire family to eat that ginormous vat of choco goodness. read more

Chez Janou - Veal liver with mashed potatoes and apples - Bistros Near Me - Paris, 75

We had The ratatouille and scallops with risotto. Both were absolutely delicious. We couldn't have had better service. The menu was completely in French, but our server took the time to translate the menu to us, which was very much appreciated. Great first meal in Paris! read more

Chez Janou - Bistros Near Me - Paris, 75

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The front desk agent recommended this spot to us to celebrate my gfs birthday. Reservations are highly recommended on the weekend as it gets pretty busy here during dinner time. Some of the servers speak English but don't expect all of them; speaking French will probably earn you bonus points with the server. We barely got by with a patient server that understood what we wanted. We started off with Mussels Au Gratin as our appetizer while our entrees consisted of a pork dish and Duck Confit. Dinner was topped off with a wonderful creme brûlée and a basic absinthe. Our bill came shortly and it came out to only €80!! I would be hesitant to recommend this place for families with infants or toddlers. I noticed that families with children were only allowed to sit outside. read more

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Gah I want to give this another try so badly... who knows when I'll return to Paris :( This came highly recommended by a friend but they failed to mention that I should have made a reservation! No reservation meant sitting outside on a chilly spring evening, that was only slightly amended by the heaters. But wow, devoting one waitress for 6-7 tables outside was not efficient to say the least. Especially considering there was a highly demanding group in the corner that made me feel sympathetic towards the waitress. We came around 7:30 PM and the inside was packed already. By the time we finished at 9 or so, many groups were waiting outside for tables. At least they were waiting with drinks from the inside bar. If it weren't packed, maybe my duck wouldn't have been overcooked... maybe we wouldn't have waited 20 mins to order... Highlights were the mussels (great flavors and dipping for bread!), duck (despite being nowhere near medium, it was good), the risotto (didn't taste like the risotto I'm used to, but friend loved it), and the chocolate mousse. Omg the mousse. Initially we thought the whole bowl was for us, but after realizing that we served ourselves from the bowl, they actually re-stir and serve the same bowl for future customers. It tasted like Angelina's hot chocolate. Damn the French and their chocolates. So good. The vibe and menu definitely make me want to return. Next time, I'm pretty sure they'll deserve five stars. read more

Chez Janou - Starter: mussels 5/5 - Bistros Near Me - Paris, 75

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Best meal I had in Paris. Hands down. Every part of the meal was scrumptious. I came here for lunch on a Thursday afternoon and would certainly recommend. As a starter, I had the garlic bread with melted cheese and tomatoes; it was delicious. For my entree I had the lamb chops and mashed potatoes on the side. The meat was cooked just right so that it was still tender but had some crispiness to it on the outside. For dessert, I had "clafoutis," which is basically a buttery pound cake with black cherries on the inside. It was good (if you prefer desserts that aren't that sweet, it's perfect for you). The service staff here is incredibly attentive and welcoming. They go above and beyond to make sure everything is good. They don't have an English menu, but the staff speaks English and can translate for you if you have questions. They even bring these cute little cards for you to keep as a nice souvenir. So adorable! read more

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Very nice local spot. Good food and service. Prices are fair and a decent local wine list.

FANTASTIC place. The duck is phenomenal, and you HAVE to order the chocolate mousse because it is the best thing on the menu. Definitely will go back! read more

During my limited stay in Paris, this was definitely my favorite restaurant for dinner. The first time we dropped by, we were notified that the kitchen did not begin serving until 7pm, so we walked around a bit until 6:45pm, and grabbed a table before the dinner rush. Note that the place does get busy, and by the time we left, they were turning people away at the door (around 9pm). We started off with a bottle of Chez Janou wine, which was quite drinkable, and there was so much on the menu that sounded delish from duck to rabbit to fish. I opted for the veal liver with pommes (which I thought were going to be potatoes, but actually apples!), the brother ordered braised beef, which was like a bourguignon, and friend Jemina E. ordered the rabbit. The food came quite quickly, within 15-20 mins, and every single dish we got was magnificent. The veal liver was the perfect texture, delicious paired with the provided sauce (vinegar-y and sweet), and the sweet apples added another dimension to the dish. The braised beef dish was also very tender, and the rabbit fell off the bone to our liking. Being a yelper, everyone talks about the chocolate mousse, so we ordered it, not quite knowing what it was all about. Once the porcelain pot came, we then knew what that was. We're talking a huge as-big-as-your-face-but-probably-bigger basin of rich chocolate. Later, some patrons explained that you are supposed to spoon out however much you want onto a plate, and they take back the bowl, but initially we were straight up shocked. For only 9 euros, it was a pretty good deal, as we shared between our table. I highly recommend this restaurant if you can get there at a good time - and the waiters speak decent English as well! read more

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I was able to snag a table here by some stroke of luck. We came here on New Years Eve and it was the best choice I made all year. Chez Janou has AMAZING energy--bustling, narrow, and full of life! This is the quintessential Parisian restaurant you've been looking for. We feasted on wine, veal liver, scallops and their popular duck confit. I loved the duck confit--tender and flavorful! Even the veal liver was good, for those that enjoy that part of the cow. The scallops were fresh and tasty as well. We ordered their famed Chocolate Mousse which comes in a large serving dish--you scoop as much as you want, and then they take it away to the next table. The experience of ordering it is entertaining, though the mousse itself cannot be consumed in a larger quantity than 3-4 spoonfuls. Soft and chocolatey, though leans on the heavy side. The servers make up most of the experience--they were smiling, kind, and full of life. Perhaps it was just the New Years energy, but one of the waiters poured shot after shot into all the patrons' mouths, while everyone cheered. We loved every minute of it, and if I were to live in Paris, I'd easily be a regular here! read more

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One of the better French meals we had while in France. After approaching our last days of the time in Paris, we were sharing our not so great food experience in France with a local. She recommended that we go here, as the food is delicious with modest pricing. I was surprised by the flood of Americans and/or English speaking customers around me at this restaurant. We luckily squeezed ourselves in at the last hour before closing with no wait at all. Our waitress was super nice, and service was great here. Steak with potato gratin- 4 stars. The steak was cooked well, delicious, but, I'm not sure if I'd say this was the best steak of my life. The potato grain on the side was yummy. Seafood risotto- 2 stars. I got laughed at later, when I told someone that I ordered a risotto a this restaurant. They're known for meats. Well, I was craving some rice, and I just opted for this choice. The risotto itself had a slightly strange texture than what I associate with a risotto. Flavor was not bad at all, but, I'm not sure if this was very good. Chocolate mousse- 3 stars. We were recommended that we HAVE to get the chocolate mousse if we come here. They brought a gigantic pot, and scooped two spoons onto a small side plate. I was confused and overwhelmed thinking that this entire pot was our order. It turned out that it was a community pot, and, I guess good thing is you can eat multiple servings out of it if you want. We only got charged for one order. Not bad, but I was expecting a chocolate mousse cake for some reason. This is straight up like chocolate pudding with extra cream in it. Bread- mmmmmm. Not to my liking. Lovely place, cute decor, clean, and best part is that they understand English well. It's a nice spot to come with people, enjoy good food, and for the price, I'd say that this is definitely a great bang for your buck, value restaurant out of all the French foods we had. I'd go back and probably give a stab at the duck dishes and stick with more meat options. read more

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The very best bistro. We had an amazing time, and the food was great! We will be back