Even at Tue night this place was packed at 9:30pm. I got a table at the bar. The waiter at the bar was busy non stop. I order the muscles which was very tasty. Normally French muscles are steamed. But this one was baked with butter and spices and cheese sprinkled. If you dip your bread in the juice it is delicious. I then order veggie stuffed with meat. This one was disappointing and lack of flavor. After I added salt and pepper it slightly improved the taste. The chocolate mousse came in a big jug and it is all you can eat. It tasted delicious. Not too sweet not too light either. I would love to come back and try other dishes. read more

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Nice ambiance, friendly staff the food not ok I enjoyed the ratatouille and the house wine was very delicious. The soup was not taste and was very cold. Plan ahead there can be a little wait because it gets busy. read more

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Full disclosure: I'm an American tourist but studied in Paris for a couple months while in school. Chez Janou is easily one of my favorite food spots in Europe. I've been here like 5 times because they do some dishes so well. Great food and wine selection. I was back in Paris last month and came here twice in the five days I was in town. Highlights for me are the mussels, frog legs, ratatouille (straight up), tuna, and of course the mousse. This place is well worth the wait, especially if you can stand at the bar and grab some wine. read more

Chez Janou - Frog legs and ratatouille - Bistros Near Me - Paris, 75

There was a short wait and the mousse was truly spectacular! The food was average, got the escargot pasta and I wouldn't care to eat it again. Ambiance is loud and crowded but it honestly adds to the charm! I would return! read more

Chez Janou - Bistros Near Me - Paris, 75

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Such a fun, casual and cozy option! Hard to add much to the great reviews below but we echo the kudos and recommendations for the escargot and chèvre appetizers. The sea bass was delicious as were the crème brûlée and chocolate mousse. The latter came to the table next to us and there was so much that they shared. Don't forget to order one of the 50 pastis off the drink menu. And get there 45 minutes early before 7pm if you don't have a reservation. Servers were fun and funny. FYI It seems very popular with English speaking patrons and French is not required to order well. read more

Chez Janou - Pastis is a speciality - Bistros Near Me - Paris, 75

Excellent restaurant!! Super friendly service with outstanding dishes. Very cool atmosphere. Be prepared to wait for a table.

They weren't exaggerating on social media - this is indeed the best chocolate mousse in Paris! Trust me, you need this in your life. Despite arriving early for our reservation, they accommodated us after a 10-minute wait. We also tried their mushroom risotto, which was delicious. The ambience is lively and fun, making it an overall great experience. You need to make a reservation in advance to get a table here read more

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Make reservations, or you'll be waiting for some time. I stopped by in person the day before. At lunch, the place is wildly busy, with many American tourists who've heard about it on social media/travel guides. It's very professionally run, w/ great staff, who work like clockwork and don't forget about you. I had the ratatouille appetizer (splendid, with a sardine and olive tapenade), roast duck, and the famous chocolate mousse. Everything was delicious, although the duck came with potatoes that weren't roasted to crunchy level. The mousse was the best I've ever had. The lunch special is very reasonably priced even though I went a la carte. read more

The food is very good, the ambiance is fun, the staff is very attentive. But the truth is this place has become so hyped by American travel guides and TV hosts that the crowd is always 50% (at minimum) Americans. And demand is crazy. On a weeknight, one-half hour from opening, the wait time was 1.5 hours. Luckily I was alone and could be seated at the bar right away. It's definitely a fun experience, and the servings of chocolate mousse from the giant bowls is a true highlight. But if you're looking for a place that feels like a local Parisian's hangout, you might be disappointed. Still ... I do recommend a visit if that isn't particularly important to you. read more

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This was the best restaurant I went to in Paris. The mussels were delicious and that garlic butter sauce was so addicting. Our server was very attentive and the ambiance is super cute. Now, the chocolate mousse was literally perfect. I could eat that whole bowl. If I ever go back to Paris, I'm coming here first. read more

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Hotel recommended, and we were not disappointed! Crowded, so be prepared to wait. The hour wait was worth it (went to wine cafe around the corner). I had Entrecôte Bistrot served with roasted potatoes. My friend had the Risotto. Both were delicious. Great atmosphere and service. True Parisian experience. read more

This place is worth all the hype. They get really busy and don't take online reservations - we walked in a couple days before to reserve! The food is impeccable (order the ratatouille, magret de canard & chocolate mousse). Wine is reasonably priced and their complementary olives are garlicky and delicious. They also hand out free melon liqueur after your meal - what's not to love! 10/10, I highly recommend. read more

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We celebrated our final night in Paris with dinner here and it was a great place to close out the trip. We didn't make reservations so we had to wait about 20 minutes for a table to become available. It was very busy, especially for a Wednesday. Our server was excellent! We really appreciated that he joked with us and explained the different dishes as we were speaking English. Now for the food/drink: - we shared 50cl of their house white wine (9/10) - ratatouille (10/10) - stuffed vegetables (8/10) - escargot pasta (7/10) - chocolate mousse (11/10) Overall, it was a good experience. It was a bit loud during the entirety of our dinner but the food, especially the mousse, and our server made up for it! My recommendation to management: have a way to request reservations through an online portal - this is much easier for those that are traveling rather than calling. read more

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Chez Janou was a spot that I stumbled upon when walking to my hotel and I would notice that every night this place would be packed. Seeing how popular it was, I knew I had to try what they had and I was definitely surprised by the cost and flavor of their food. My family and I came pretty early and were seated so that we can wait for when it was time for the kitchen to open. We were given these olives tossed in garlic oil which were delicious on its own. By the time the kitchen opened, the restaurant was packed with people already and had a line waiting for a table too. It didn't help that the restaurant itself is very small but was decorated very nicely. By this time, it was a bit hard to flag down a waiter but when we did, we were able to order fairly easily with the waiter helping us know what dish is what. I opted for the 300 gram steak with potatoes which was only 29 euros, a steal! I ordered mine medium rare and it came out perfect, however, my sister's came out borderline raw which was a bit of an issue. Other than that, it seemed like the cook on the steaks were hit or miss so I'd say order cautiously. The mussels were delicious and also a favorite of the meal. If you're looking for a good meal, definitely give this place a try! read more

Chez Janou - Baked Mussels with Pesto - Bistros Near Me - Paris, 75

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One of the best restaurants I've been to in a while. Atmosphere was fun, service was nice and the food was all amazing.

Food was meh and horrible service. Would not recommend to anyone visiting Paris. Ambiance was loud and I found it difficult to enjoy my meal. read more

At risk of sounding like a broken record, everything was delicious and reasonably priced. We were seated right away but it took a bit before we were able to place our order but it came out quite quickly. I would recommend it to anyone. read more

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My family had an excellent experience eating here! We got there around 7:30pm and they were able to get us a table and it wasn't super busy at first, but by 8pm the place was flooded. There is no English menu but our waitress was able to translate for us and was very sweet. Service was super quick when we first got there but understandably got a lot slower when the place became a full house which made it hard to pay and leave after we ate. For entrees we got ratatouille and the asparagus cream soup. The asparagus soup was definitely my favorite, it was so flavorful and creamy! As for the ratatouille, it was not particularly what we were expecting, but was still good. This part of the review is more for American tourists visiting Paris: My brother had been searching through Yelp to find a place in Paris that served ratatouille like the kind from the Pixar movie Ratatouille (which turned out to be an incredibly difficult task), and so when we got this ratatouille we were surprised. The ratatouille was cold and in a jar and more of a spread to put on bread -- but was super delicious! Also, we had never tried tapenade (we had only heard about it from that one scene in ICarly) but were able to try it as it was included in the plate. For plats, I got the duck breast which was cooked so nicely and tasted amazing! My brother got the steak (which was like a ribeye) which was okay. Both these plats came with garlic potatoes. My mom got the shrimps which were, in her words, "sumptuous". Dessert was excellent! We had no idea what strawberry basil soup was but we are sooo glad we tried it! It wasn't too sweet and was a refreshing dessert. The créme brûlée was like any other créme brûlée, it was good. Overall, an excellent restaurant and I would come back again! read more

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On the strength of Yelp reviews, we chose this spot for our final Paris dinner. Seemed like everyone was here on a recommendation from someone - a coworker, the concierge, a friendly local, maybe a relative in the know. CJ had good selection and a big menu with one available preparation of just about every protein, large portions for the mains, a cute location on a somewhat quieter side street. Friendly English-speaking staff make things easy (though raise suspicions of being a tourist trap which I think it is not.) Food was priced appropriately or maybe even a little cheaper than what might be had at other Paris spots. Cons: probably a long wait if you show up without a reservation like us (duh.) Also, if you're not a friendly type, you might not like this place as the tables are just inches from each other. The crowd was very chatty, commenting on each other's food and making small talk. The chocolate mousse is a real spectacle. They'll bring out a too-big vessel of chocolate, a plate and spoons for whoever's at the table. I'm not a chocolate eater (a pity) but the other half said it was truly delicious and that it was well worth the extra calories and added 50 minutes (!!!) that it tacked on to an already two-hour meal. This place is not quick so plan appropriately. Pro tip: get your name added to the list by any of the staff as they dash past the right hand side of the bar. Enjoy! read more

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i would literally love to move into chez janou permanently. please. i'm begging. the whole experience (and with the mousse thrown on the plate, it WAS an experience) was sublime. we went here for my bday without a reservation on a friday like the dumbest tourists ever, and yet they were incredibly accommodating and sat us just before their kitchen opened. also, the waiter was hot. nuff said. the food? you mean, le canard? yea, i am now a canard connoisseur. the wine? the rosé that didn't make sense with my choice of entree? delish and cheap. the chocolate mousse slapped on a plate? literally slap it on. my. face. did we come here just bc of a tiktok of the mousse? can you tell? well, i'm not ashamed of it - yes. i have nothing bad to say, except that i still dont live inside. read more

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Our party of three showed up without a reservation and miraculously was squeezed in to a table. The waitress said we were lucky and I agree we were lucky indeed! We had the duck, ratatouille, and scallops. Everything was amazing! The duck special was our favorite, but only buy a nose! The waitress was attentive, funny, and made the experience even better. The only regret we had was not ordering dessert! read more

Chez Janou - Scallops - Bistros Near Me - Paris, 75

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Chez Janou is where it's at. Absolutely amazing. The service was extraordinary and the food was excellent. We took recommendations from our server and ordered the mussels (omg delicious - our kids even devoured them), as well as steak and duck dishes. Everything was beyond. The house wine was also a hit. We ended the night with both the mousse and crème brûlée and WOW. I will miss this place when we return to the US. read more

Love love love this place. It's a stop that I try and hit with every trip to Paris food and service is excellent and it's a blast.

May have been an off night but we had a rushed experience and the food was not good. We didn't have a reservation but we arrived early so they said we could dine but needed to leave in one hour which was fine. However we didn't get service for about 20 minutes. Had to ask three times for bread. Our meals were cold and underwhelming. read more

I really wish yelp had Live Photos so that you could hear the splat! Yes, I went for the chocolate mousse that was made popular on that tik App. (2/11/23). It was delicious but the presentation was unforgettable hence I only tasted it. Not be because of the quantity but the way it landed on the plate. Just hilarious! Don't be fooled you will not be getting a large bowl, just a very large spoonful. See pic. Remember that song from beauty and the beast? Try the grey stuff it's delicious ". That came to mind immediately. We could not stop laughing. read more

Chez Janou - SPLAT! Yeah, it was loud! Sing "Be our guest....try the grey stuff...". It was definitely very rich and tasty - Bistros Near Me - Paris, 75

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There aren't enough wonderful things to say about this restaurant. Service was wonderful, every bite had purpose. It was hands down the best meal in Paris. If we had more time to go back, we would read more

Chez Janou - Ravioli and ratatouille - Bistros Near Me - Paris, 75

We had a late lunch here and just missed the busy Saturday lunch crowd. We started off with a couple glasses of wine and proceeded to order. This charming little bistro has so many delicious items on the menu. It was hard to choose, but I was quite curious about the escargot pasta. 19€ Tagliatelles aux escargots (Escargot pasta): This might have been the most rich pasta that I have ever had in my life. Thick strands of tagliatelle were coated with pesto sauce, grated parmesan, and pine nuts. The escargot was actually very soft, not too tough or chewy, and there was a generous helping of it throughout the entire plate. At the bottom was a large puddle of buttery, garlicky, olive oil. 20€ Magret de canard au romarin (Duck Breast w/ rosemary): This beautiful slab of tender duck breast was served with a thick layer of seared duck fat on top. The duck fat was seared to a crisp, and scored very evenly. It was accompanied with potatoes and sauteed mushrooms. The sauce came in a ramekin, and it resembled more of a thick, sweet glaze, which I didn't care for. The fatty duck breast was good on its own. 9€ Mousse au chocolat (chocolate mousse): We were so full we did not actually order the chocolate mousse, or any dessert actually. But I took notice that our neighbors ordered the chocolate mousse, which arrived in a very large ceramic tub. They were instructed to use the communal spoon to scoop however much they wanted onto their own plates, and not eat directly from the communal spoon. A very unique dessert service! Should I ever return to this bistro, I shall have to indulge and try the chocolate mousse. Once we got our bill, it came with a pair of mini post cards, which I thought was a nice touch. read more

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We walked in around 2:30 for a bit of a later lunch and got seated within 5 min. Ordered the escargot and ratatouille which were so tasty. For entrees we got the seafood risotto and the duck. Both delicious!! And the chocolate mousse to finish of course. One of the best meals we had in Paris - hopefully we'll be back one day. Merci Chez Janou! read more

Chez Janou - Risotto and duck - Bistros Near Me - Paris, 75

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Got there excited to try due to hearing good things. The restaurant was very tight and compact and they had to pull the table out to be able to sit down. I was willing to look past that due to the fact they brought out bread, not only was the bread cold I almost broke a tooth trying to bite it! The food arrived and looked horrible, it looked like food had just been thrown in the plate. The fish special was ordered and when I receive it had weird sides that could also be referred to a "mystery meat"! I also ordered the ravioli due to it being the only vegetarian item on the menu.there was in fact not a single raviolis I was basically a baked plate of cheese. When I received the steak it was all fat and basically inedible, and impossible to cut! The family at the table next to mine was incredibly nice and I almost warned them that they should leave and the food was terrible. The service was okay not great or special. I said I had a place to be due to the fact that I just couldebt get out of there soon enough. The food gave the same vibe as dennys if not worse. Nothing made me happier to leave and get a falafel sandwich to cheer me up! Do no recommend!!!!! read more

At first I was happy with the service, the man working the door was able to squeeze us in without a reservation but we were warned that they would need the table within the hour which was fine because we planned on just getting dessert and drinks. When we ordered desert the waiter didn't even let me finish my sentence before cutting me off to tell me that they get "very busy and cannot sell out of the mousse" which is fine but what was displeasing was then he proceeded to once again cut me off to tell me that had the best starters in the city but unless we were buying "he could not help us." Before we could even respond he rushed away. Did not feel welcomed at all if you know people come for the desert maybe just sell a pre fixed menu or let customers know at the door no need to be so rude about it. read more

This was one of our favorite restaurants in Paris. It's seemingly always busy and incredibly lively. Full of locals, but also a decent amount of tourists. We stopped here minutes after they opened and the place was already packed. We put our names down and got some wine at the front bar. the vibe at the bar is so fun and even though we were clearly tourists, we were treated very well. The food was fantastic. The risotto with scallops were perfect. I still dream about this dish! My sister ordered the duck breast and said it was the best she had ever had. Service was good and our server helped us pick out a bottle of wine to go with our meals. Also, the chocolate mousse was absolutely delicious. Overall, absolutely worth the stop and I will be back the next time I am in Paris! read more

I found the food just okay. I don't really understand what all the hype is around this place but maybe it's very traditional basque food and that jus isn't my thing. We ordered the shrimp and spiced rice. The shrimp was cooked well but not too seasoned and the rice was overpowered by the anise. My gf ordered asparagus risotto but it came out as mushroom risotto. The mushroom sauce was delectable but the risotto itself tasted like regular soft rice. This place us extremely popular among locals so make a reservation and note that they only have a French menu. read more

The food is great here. I highly recommend the steak frites and the mousse au chocolat for dessert

Chez Janou was my introduction to Parisian dining. To me, the feeling was comparable to stepping inside an animated French children's story where I was the main character enchanted with all my surroundings. True to French brasseries, Chez Janou can pack a lot of people in a small space. If you often get claustrophobic or merely dislike sitting closely to others, opt for a seat at the bar instead of the dining room. Also true to French dining, you can't expect a server to immediately come to your table to take your order. Parisians enjoy their meals in no rush whatsoever. However, we somehow managed to grab a table without hesitation on a bustling Saturday evening. One of the elements of the meal I will never forget was the table-side absinthe. I channeled my inner novelist and glistened with joy experimenting with this totally un-American experience. Remember folks, drink slowly. Unless fist fights are your cup of tea! We sampled many items, yet the standouts were no surprise to us. Bread and cheese. Cheese and bread. Damn, the French know what they're doing in these departments. A unique dish was the bruschetta topped with tuna. Highly unusual to this Italian man, but delicious! A round of applause goes out to our server, who essentially ran the dining room single-handedly. He swiftly touched each table while maintaining composure and charm. He delightfully translated the ENTIRE MENU for us and genuinely valued our patronage. Would recommend to anyone searching for an authentic and colorful Parisian experience! read more

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Very raucous and a great time. Awesome staff who are fast, efficient and really nice. The menu has some nice twists, I had a delicious hefty appetizer of avocado, shrimp and grapefruit salad and the red snapper. This is a menu I can work my way through. Elias served us and is such a great guy. Our hostess squeezed us in at the last minute (literally, it's tight seating) and we loved it all read more

The place was packed with eager diners so the food must be good. But I came for the chocolate mousse. To die for. They bring a vat of the stuff and splash a huge amount of mousse on your dish. Oh the drama. Come here to eat and don't forget the chocolate mousse. read more

We came on a weekday for lunch right before they opened. We were seated right away and soon enough within 30 minutes there was a wait. Be sure to come early if you have your eye on this placs be because it gets packed w both tourists and locals. We got their: Ratatouille-flavorful, seasoned well, moist. My husband who's not a fan of eggplant enjoyed it. Smoked duck salad- the flavors blended well together despite the balsamic and saltiness of the duck. Risotto with scallops- gotta be my favorite dish of the entire trip. The risotto was cooked al dente, scallops soft and because it's naturally salty, it didn't need additional seasoning. This should be one of your options for your main dish. read more

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My friend recommend this place to me during my stay in Paris and I decided to check it out. It was a Saturday night and the wait was pretty long for 2 people, but it was well worth it. After waiting for 45 minutes, my friend and I got seated in the outside seating area. We ordered the duck breast and scallop risotto. I have to say, the scallop risotto was probably one of the best things I've ever put in my mouth. The scallops were cooked perfectly and the risotto tasted like heaven on earth. The duck breast was delicious as well, and the accompanying potatoes were a perfect pair. My friend and I also decided to split a creme brûlée at the end. It seriously was the most perfect meal. It's a little pricey (22 euros + for each dish), but sooo worth it. Splurge a little and have one of the best meals in Paris! Customer service was great and food was even better. Definitely a place I wouldn't mind returning to if I ever go back to Paris!! read more

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I've been to Paris a few times now, and this has become a visit staple. The food is incredible. And I love the low lighting, energetic, bistro vibe. All French menu, so do a little homework on the dishes before you arrive if you don't know much French. They have an amazing allergen menu too if you need to watch out for that. My gluten free friends got through this menu super easily and were really impressed with the options. It's a place to spend a nice amount of time. No one is rushing you out, you get to enjoy conversation over multiple bottles of wine and good company. I love love love it here. Fav dishes: duck breast, ravioli, and the creme brûlée and the chocolate mousse are the perfect combo to enjoy as a meal ender. Each have a nice balance to make the dessert a perfect duo. read more

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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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