Fabulous dinner. Please come here and be prepared to wait along time to get a table. Excellent duck, appetizers, and extensive wine list.

Came for lunch on a weekday and did not need a reservation, we were seated immediately. We came for the Ratatouille and it was absolutely astounding! One of my favorite things I've ever eaten, in Paris or anywhere else! Other entrees were very good, they chose plates from the menu du jour. Each of us got a dessert, not knowing that the chocolate mousse comes in a huge pot that can serve probably 10 people! Service was great, especially for a busy french restaurant. I asked if they have any desserts without milk or cream (they do not), and after knowing I am vegan they made me a special dessert with what they had! Incredibly nice gesture, the server went out of his way to make sure I get good food!! read more

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A very fun and delicious place for dinner! Great Provençal selections and don't pass up the chocolate mousse! Be sure to get reservations as it is a popular venue. read more

Always excellent traditional French cuisine here and always packed, which is a good indicator. Superb.

After a long day of sight seeing my friends and I were super excited for this restaurant! We were told by a friend that we should save Chez Janou for our last night in Paris and we were not disappointed! We arrived a little late for our reservation and were disappointed when we had to wait an additional 15 minutes. When we were finally seated it was at a cozy side table in a dimly lit area behind the bar. While I was abroad I became accustomed to asking my server what they recommended! Although we were forced to try things we may not have ordered otherwise, I think doing this results in the best dining experience! Thus I asked our server, a super nice frenchie, to give us a recommendation and he did not disappoint! My friends and got a bunch of dishes to split. Everything was incredible but the risotto with scallops and the tagliatelle with escargot were both incredible!!!! At the end of our incredible meal we got complimentary shots that we took with our waiter! It was an awesome way to end the meal! read more

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OMG a Paris staple by far!!! Love this place and always have to come no matter what I do! The food is excellent and the ambiance a plus!!!! But the ratatouille to DIE for!!!! Omg delicious and second best is the chocolate mousse!!!! My favorite fun dessert of all time! LOVE THIS PLACE!!! read more

Chez Janou - Bistros Near Me - Paris, 75

This place was recommended to us by friends who were just in Paris and we couldn't be happier that we listened to them. The food was INCREDIBLE. we showed up during a busy time and didn't have to wait too long. Our waitress recommended some wine for us and it was perfect. Although she was kind enough to say that if we didn't like it, she would be happy to replace it. The service was incredible. The food was amazing. My husband kept saying how his pork was literary falling apart because it was so tender. I ordered the lamb chops the mashed potatoes and we shared the baked muscles as a starter. Amazing place. read more

Chez Janou - Lamb chops and mashed potatoes, pork and vegetables. - Bistros Near Me - Paris, 75

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Had such a great experience at Chez Janou! Found this place randomly on Trip Advisor and made the trek. The restaurant was busy, and full of trendy, young, local Parisians. No tourists in sight, except for ourselves. Jackpot. Since the place was so packed. we waited at the bar. The bartender was funny, and brought us a little delicious bread appetizer. When we were finally brought to our table, our waiter was humorous as well and didn't hesitate to translate the French menu to us. I split the duck and the escargot pasta with a friend and it was delicious! The duck was great. If you wanted to try escargot though, I recommend you get the actual snails instead of the pasta dish. It was good, but not the true escargot experience. For dessert, we'd noticed everyone around us getting a gigantic bowl of chocolate mousse, so we followed suit. Pretty much all you can eat chocolate mousse (unless you can eat more than that bowl.. believe me, we tried), and it was DELICIOUS. It was airy and perfectly sweet, and the perfect end to our meal. Before we left, the staff offered us free shots of this sweet dessert alcohol, to make up for us having to wait so long (and this lady who yelled at us, accused us of skipping her). Great restaurant experience! read more

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I really trust my friends and their recommendations, so after a disappointing experience here, I had to give it another try. My dinner at Chez Janou was pretty marginal, but when I found myself in the neighborhood during lunch a few days later, I decided to try it again. The menu is exactly the same, except they do have a prix fixe menu during lunch. This was a nice way to experience and sample a couple different dishes, so I went with the prix fixe plate and entree option for 13.50 euros. The experience was 180 degrees from my dinner earlier in the week. We had a fantastic meal and lunch. Entrecôte steak - Yes, I had it again, although this was from the lunch menu, so a bit different. It was served with the most delicate green beans and new potatoes and a wonderful blue cheese cream sauce. I ordered it medium-well, which in France is the perfect medium. It was great and the blue cheese was subtle, yet just enough. Perch w/ Rissoto - The perch was cooked perfectly and the risotto was so creamy and delicious. Tagliatelle w/ cucumber & shrimp - This was the most unusual, but fun dish. Think of it was a mild, pasta cole slaw. It was a bit heavy on the dressing, but overall, it had good flavor, texture and crunch. While I didn't have the mousse again, I do have an update. I was shocked when I was served two heaping scoops, but at lunch I learned this is pretty unusual. The reason it's unusual is because at lunch they just dropped off the bowl and you served yourself. This is crazy rich, so when the couple next to me each had 2-3 scoop, I was amazed. I have upped my rating from 3 stars to 4 stars - I still have some concerns about consistency, but it's 100% worth the try. Its a good value for traditional French food. UPDATE - May 2014 Yep, I'm back and I continue to like this place more every time I come. We had another great meal - Entrecôte steak...yes, again, and the risotto with scallops. Delicious! I also enjoyed a great goat cheese salad this time. Of course, no dinner would be complete without the mousse.We sat on the patio, which is first come first serve, and had a wonderful evening. read more

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The cuisine is among the best anywhere! The people running this place know what they're doing. Very sharp.

I had high hopes for this place but their risotto was badly undercooked and hard! Their duck was seared but practically raw on the inside. My wife and I couldn't even finish our dishes I can only assume that our dishes were paid less attention to. Very disappointed. Le Temps des Cerises and Le Comptoir de La Gastronomie are much better with the same exact dishes. I highly recommend to go there! read more

Chez Janou is excellent! I came here for the first time last month with my husband, parents and cousin. It was my parents' first trip to Paris and we wanted to take them to a classic French bistro with great atmosphere. Chez Janou did not disappoint. The staff was wonderful, the food was incredible and the atmosphere was lively and fun; an eclectic crowd and lots of locals. My mum can be a bit picky in what she eats; however, she surprised me by trying everything and enjoyed every bite. The mark of really great food is being able to try something you don't normally like, and say "wow that's good!" THE FOOD: We first ordered a few things to share and the stars of the show were the ratatouille and tuna carpaccio. For the main course, I ordered the tagliatelle with escargot which was perfection. The homemade tagliatelle comes in a cream sauce that you would think would be heavy but is actually very light. The menu also has options for less adventurous eaters as well (Mum, I'm looking at you). For dessert you must get the chocolate mousse. It comes in a very large bowl which is left at your table. It's an honor's system - scoop out as much or as little as you like, just don't eat from the bowl. It's also the best chocolate mousse you'll ever have. We also got a bottle of digestive and tiny glasses at the end of the meal (also honors system). This great touch; it makes you feel like you're at someone's home, rather than a restaurant. We loved it! A FEW LOGISTICS: It's a tight space but that really adds to the "very French" charm - many bistros are like this and it creates a warm, lively and fun atmosphere. Chex Janou does take reservations but only at 2 set times in the evening (7:30 and 9:30). They do this so that no one is rushed. The staff certainly does not try and turn over tables quickly. That being said, you won't have a waiter coming around very often, they will just leave you to not be bothered. This isn't because they're rude or ignoring you, it's the culture - embrace it! It's a very refreshing change if you're used to wait staff in the US trying to rush you out the door 15 minutes after your last bite. OVERALL: Perfection - I highly recommend Chez Janou! Whenever my husband and I visit Paris we like to try new places, but there are a few that stand out enough that keep us coming back to; Chez Janou is one of those places. Thank you for a wonderful and memorable evening with my family! read more

Chez Janou is consistently one of my favorite little places to eat in Paris. The food is fantastic and the staff are wonderful. Anytime I am in Paris, I make an point dine here at least once! Although everyone speaks very good English, they are kind enough to suffer through a novice speaker's stumbling French, and even offer better phraseology in a sincere effort to help out. Things to try are the Tagliatelle aux escargots, (according to my husband) any of the rabbit dishes, the mussels provincial, and of course the chocolate mousse. (Seriously, the mousse because chocolate). One last thing to remember is that this place is fairly popular, and while it is possible to get a table with a wait, it's best to either come early or make a reservation. (They start serving dinner at 7pm). read more

Chez Janou - Tagliatelle aux escargots - Bistros Near Me - Paris, 75

I first went to Chez Janou 8 years ago and then again last month, during a return trip to Paris. I had remembered the food to be wonderful, and it was no different this time around. That's what I call consistency. CJ features delicious Provencal cuisine as well as more classic French dishes, and my husband and I were both wowed by what we ate: the magret de canard (duck breast) and one of the nightly specials, the saint-pierre (a firm but delicate fish). We had the lemon tart for dessert, which was decent but I wasn't a huge fan of the cookie-type crust. It's absolutely necessary to make a reservation for this place, especially with some of the celebrity attention it has gotten. Our hotel concierge helped us make the reservation, and so we were seated rather promptly even at a peak dining hour. Our waiter was as speedy as he could be, given the huge crowd, and was very helpful. The biggest downside to our dining experience was the sheer number of people. We were squeezed at a table right on the edge of many others, and were constantly bumped into by people making their way to the bathroom. It also seems like most everyone around us were tourists: English and Spanish were the most prevalent languages spoken, which made me wonder where the Parisians had fled to. I'd come here again for the sake of the food, but would look for other alternatives to escape the visitors and find where the real French have gone. read more

This is just good food period. Diverse menu for anything you are in the mood for. From shrimp to beef, from lamb to fish and rabbit. The staff is very accommodating and the atmosphere is full of life. I had the rabbit and would have never thought the taste would be so subtle and not at all intimidating. Cooked well through. The sides of mash potatoes and greens were also well delivered. Despite its reputation, good cuisine can be hit or miss in Paris but chez janou gets it right read more

Chez Janou - Rabbit anyone? - Bistros Near Me - Paris, 75

Wonderful French bistro! Came here on a summer weekday afternoon without having to wait. I ordered the lunch special for 15 euros, which consists of either an appetizer + main course, or main course + dessert. For the appetizer, I chose cucumbers and shrimp which was perfectly fresh for this sunny day. I selected the fish with vegetables as the main course which came with a delicious buttery sauce. Everything was done to perfection. I recommend this restaurant! read more

Chez Janou - Cucumber and shrimp appetizer - Bistros Near Me - Paris, 75

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In all of my eating adventures in Paris, non can top this one. The ratatouille was amazing. The escargot pasta was exceptional (probably the best pasta I ever had). They also serve bread on the side and I loved the bread too! The waiters were sassy (the good kind) and kind to converse in English with us (our French was broken). If I come back to Paris (and I plan to!) I'm definitely coming back to try the other dishes. read more

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Great service. Good food. A real Parisienne pearl. You have to get the chocolate mousse when going to Chez Janou! (I won't say more, just go and experience it) read more

Chez Janou - Bistros Near Me - Paris, 75

I came here on my first trip to Paris and had a magical time. The chocolate mousse was worth a trip back to Paris. We came back with our girls and we're turned away because we only wanted drinks and dessert. The gentleman was incredibly rude. Had he given us an ounce of kindness we would've tried again when they weren't so busy. I realize the place is small but you should never turn people away. read more

Very good food, lovely ambiance, and good service. May be a tad bit overhyped, but the ravioles were really great. read more

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Amazing service and food. Make a reservation or get on the list before 7PM when service starts. All our dishes were excellent. Bon Appetit! read more

Good and reliable restaurant tucked into a quiet corner of the Marais. Book ahead to make sure you get a table, whether for breakfast or for lunch. The waiter (especially the tall black one) may try to chase you off if you show up without a reservation, insisting it will take at least an hour, etc. Take whatever they say and divide by two and that's the real number. Case in point, the last time I showed up without reservations, he told me an hour and it took just under 30 minutes. read more

Fabulous food but service is really crappy (even by French standards) and the place is the size of a postage stamp so be cautious about that. Called ahead to ask if I can make a reservation. Staff told me that they don't take reservations but we can sit at the bar to wait for a table. Okay. Got to place at 9:30 p.m. There were already people waiting for a table and the bar was packed. Took 15 minutes for the one guy to ask me for my name to put on a list since he kept putting other people's name first (even though we were there ahead of them). Then I noticed there were a few couple (2-3 people) who came and told the staff they made reservations already. I'm like...umm...wtf?! Why the hell was I told this place don't take reservations?! Waited for an hour before we were seated (and one couple actually left) because the waitlist and how staff handled seating people was just inefficient. We ordered the ratatouille tuna, beef coquette, and the risotto. For dessert, it was creme brulee and chocolate mousse (which they give you a HUGE pot). The food is just absolutely excellent and I cannot fault that. However, the service is just not good and incredibly inefficient, therefore, only three stars rating. I would recommend this place ONLY for the food. Just be prepare for the tiny space, the inefficient, and inconsistent service before you arrive. read more

Yum! It was great 12 years ago and still is. Make a reservation to sit inside and be less surrounded by Americans.

Magnifique! Everything was delightful-a must visit restaurant. Make a reservation and then sit at the bar or wait outside with your glass of wine. The bar was lively and the chilled wine was perfect on a warm Parisian night! We had a cozy table for 2 in the back of the restaurant and our server was darling! We had a wonderful bottle of rose that she recommended and a delicious starter from the du jour menu. The main course was out of this world! My husband had steak which was amazing and I had a hearty white fish served Provençal with ratatouille-which was out of this world. Then-the masterpiece of the night was the chocolate mousse! Tres bien!!!! It is a must have! Finally-a melon digestif and l'addition! fabuleux! Merci Chez Janou! read more

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Absolutely divine. I was a little shy about going into this restaurant for lunch, but when I approached a server coming outside to set out plates and told him I was alone, he was so sweet! He graciously took me inside and explained to the staff that I would be dining solo, and they immediately set up a table for me. I've never had such perfectly seared duck breast. And you don't need to tell them how you want it done because they won't ask you, medium-rare is the way to go and anything otherwise is considered to be frowned upon. I can't explain how the meal was, just the whole entree that you dip in rosemary sauce and the baked potatoes it comes with...just go and try it for yourselves. I know I'll never have duck like that ever again. I couldn't stomach the enormous portions of the chocolate mousse everyone here has written about, so I opted for the citron creme brulee. Again, it was perfect. Such delicate caramelization and understated sweetness. And don't worry about ordering fancy wine or whatnot. I settled for two glasses of their house red and I was incredibly happy. The staff here were not pretentious or haughty at all. If anything, I found them to be so sweet, so helpful, so accommodating. As a tourist, as long as you stay humble and polite, you shouldn't come across any problems with the French. The whole "French are rude" stereotype is exactly what it is. A stereotype. read more

Just a couple of blocks north of Place du Vosges, this is my idea of a classic French bistro. The place is sardine-packed full, and the food is straightforward and very good. Our waiter was more than proficient in English, and was genuinely warm, funny and helpful. We commented on the FULL restaurant at 3:00 pm, and he responded, "The food is good and it's cheap." That sums it up. Be prepared to wait for a table, and MOS DEF save room for the gorgeous chocolate mousse. read more

More like 3 1/2 stars I enjoyed Chez Janou with its classic provincial French cuisine. I started with their fish soup and it was good served with rouille and cheese and toast. I really enjoyed the steak (onglet de boeuf) served with an excellent burgundy/shallot sauce. It was cooked just like I like it, seared well outside and rare inside. This was my favorite dish. I came back a second time and was underwhelmed with their bell pepper salad starter. It was very bland. I tried their tagliatelle with escargots and loved combination but again very bland. I never add salt, but had to on these dishes. The female servers were very friendly, but the one male server was not. read more

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Chez Jaous had a friend's recommendation, good Yelp reviews, and proximity going for it, so on a chilly Wednesday night, a group of 6 of us made the very short trek from our AirBnB to the restaurant, sans reservations. Thankfully we had very good luck (save one restaurant) with walking into places without having called ahead of time, though I'm sure it's tougher to do in the popular tourist seasons. It was filled to the brim with patrons, and decorated from ceiling to floor with posters and mirrors and art work. Thankfully there was one table open that happened to be big enough for all of us. Our server, whose name escapes me, was obviously very used to English speaking guests, and used that to make us giggle, and feel like we were regulars. They have a fairly good sized food and wine menu, as well as some specials. We were given plates of olives to start, none of which I ate because I don't care for them, but were delicious according to my olive loving dining partners. We decided on a random bottle of wine, based on nothing, that turned out to be wonderful (as most are in France). I went with the crayfish, grapefruit, and avocado salad which was fresh and light and just acidic enough before my main entree of osso bucco over pasta. The meat was, as expected, incredibly tender and fell right off the bone and into my mouth. The pasta tasted like it had been made in house and went wonderfully dipped in the sauce the osso bucco was delivered it. The best part was scooping out the marrow when I was finished and spreading it on the fresh bread that had been given to us with our meal. Before dessert we were given bowls of mixed nuts and small oranges which was something I had never encountered before and was a nice touch. For dessert there were 4 options that looked great, so 4 options we went with. Choice 1, the creme brulee was divine, obviously. Choice 2, the citrus blancmange was something I'd never had before, but so light, creamy, and wonderful. Choice 3, was I believe a special, and I can't recall the name but had pears and white chocolate. It wasn't bad by any means, but not nearly as delicious as the others. Choice 4, the piece de resistance, which had been recommended to us by a friends and yelp-ers alike, was the chocolate mousse. It comes served in a huge pot will a ladle to scoop your fill onto your plate, think family style. You're instructed not to eat out of the pot itself, so the leftovers must go on to the next table, but a half scoop is plenty. It was rich, chocolate-y and smooth, and unlike any mousse I've ever had, more so resembling frosting. If you're staying in the marais, and need a delicious, comfortable, and homey, yet upscale place to eat dinner, head to Chez Janou, you'll be glad you did. read more

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Fantastic! Not much I can add to the other glowing reviews. This was the best meal we had in Paris by a mile. The asparagus was delightful as was the lamb. If you are visiting Paris - make sure to eat at least one meal here. read more

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This is probably one of the greatest restaurants in Paris and quite possibly my favorite in the city. Not to be missed are the mussels, risotto, duck breast, and escargot pasta. This is a must go. The staff is always so nice and accommodating and every experience is sure to be phenomenal. read more

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The duck is a must! I came to Paris in search for some good pâté and duck. After some research and trying a couple other places, we determined this place took the trophy. - duck breast: 5/5 tender, flavorful, and good sized portion for a reasonable price - absinth: 3/5: great presentation with a taste similar to black licorice. Worth it? Hell yes. We tried this place on our last day, but if I had the chance, I would've gone back the next day. I would skip the absinthe next time though. Ps: the staff's English is mediocre. Enough to order, but tough to communicate on any other level. read more

A very cozy, packed restaurant that was bustling with locals and a decent number of visitors as well. I loved the environment and the ambiance. Portions are huge so prepare to leave totally stuffed. Highlights include the baked goat cheese, which went perfectly with the bread basket (which we cleared out). The crowning moment was the giant bowl of chocolate mousse for dessert. Rich, chocolatey and simply delicious without trying too hard, the mousse made me quite happy. Be aware that there is A LOT of mousse. The duck breast was a little tough, but that could just be the nature of duck breast, which is not as tender as the leg. Overall definitely worth a stop! read more

The best mussels I've ever tasted. Great menu options and nice prices. Would 100% recommend.

Totally rude. We tried our best French and it wasn't good enough for our waiter. He told us the menu is simple to understand and we shouldn't have any questions. Reminded me of what Americans used to say about the French years ago. We walked for hours to get there only to leave immediately after placing our order. If you don't speak French, I wouldn't recommend this place. When we left, nobody could care less. read more

This lovely small place blew me away with their great wait-staff and food preparation. Both our meals were flavorful treats. I had a tasty risotto with scallops while my lovely partner had a scrumptious tuna with ratatouille Provençal. Their wine selections were quite broad. I chose a Viognier that complemented my meal and was simply superb. To complete our dinner, we had a chocolate mousse that was delivered in a tureen but all we could handle with our appetites was a mighty ladle-full served buy our waitress. Prices are quite reasonable from our (northeastern USA) perspectives. read more

I've been here, twice. Delicious but too busy. Some staff is kind, some staff is unkind. I never visit here ever. read more

The ratatouille, the duck, the house wine, and the GIANT endless chocolate mousse were all a part of an excellent culinary experience! Reservation not required but definitely recommended. read more

Our last supper of Paris! Our last Dinner of our beautiful Paris Honeymoon! Quite the adventure walking around in the rain before our almost 930 pm reservation! We loved this place. Our server explained everything with such detail and patience! The duck breast was delicious with rosemary potatoes and sautéed mushrooms. The boeuf bourguignon was savory. The moule (mussels) just perfect in the broth and the wine was paired to perfection with our meal! We shall return for the chocolate mousse everyone seems to be talking about !!!! Au revoir! Merci beaucoup! read more

Our family had an amazing experience at Chez Janou. We speak only English and usually only eat at a restaurant if it's on OpenTable.com so dining in Paris has been an adventure for us. We stopped by early only to find the restaurant was fully booked but they suggested we stop by around 7. We were quickly shown a table and went on to enjoy the best meal we have had in Paris. We had octopus, risotto with scallops, bass, and the entrecôte all of which we would order again. It requires a little effort to get a seat but is well worth it read more