Waiters in Paris get a bad rap. I mean, it is a job that can be both frustrating and thankless at times so I understand. It is that occasion when you have a waiter who seems personally invested in the quality and success of the food who take your experience from four stars to five. Cinq-Mars is located in a surprisingly quiet street near Musée d'Orsay. I approached the location about 15 minutes before it opened to see the staff dancing on the other side of the window. I wandered back down the street to allow them some fun time and meet up with my friends. Upon entering we were greeted, seated and good nature banter started before we even ordered our wine. I enjoyed our waitress' gentle ribbing and supreme helpfulness in having an excellent meal. Her attention to detail and timely arrival when our table needed anything stood in stark contrast to her light-hearted mood and quick wit. She really made for a lovely evening. I would be remiss if I did not say the food was excellent but you already knew that, right? read more

Our first visit to Cinq-Mars was a year ago on the recommendation of our next door neighbor here in LA. Went for lunch with our favorite French couple and we had a wonderful meal. Such a comfortable room -- not huge at all and just warm and friendly. Lunch was not fussy -- just nicely prepared dishes with great herbs and clean, flavorful recipes. One of the better meals we had in Paris. This year, during a ten week stay in Paris, we managed to get back to Cinq-Mars twice with slightly different results. Took a visiting friend with us for dinner and had a truly exceptional meal -- great seared tuna, awesome lamb stew, marvelous asperges blanches et vertes, a simple mesclun greens salade that was mind-blowingly good -- just wonderful food all served by a lovely, charming young woman who made such a great connection with us. Three nights later, on our last night of the ten-weeks stay, we returned for one more meal before heading back to LA. Being creatures of habit, we did a re-run of the hits from the previous visit -- and while the starters were every bit as good as three nights before, the plats were off. The lamb stew gravy was noticeably sharper and more acidic, not as rich and deep. The tuna was nowhere near as fresh/clean tasting. Not bad, mind you. Just not as good as the previous visit, as if a different kitchen crew was in charge on the two nights. Enough of a difference to change our impression of Cinq-Mars? Nope! It's a great place and they definitely know what they're doing. But it does show that even the best of places can vary from night to night. Our recommendation: a fine, highly enjoyable, comfortable, reliably good non-touristy place. Don't hesitate to go. read more

This beautiful restaurant is worth seeking out. I was there with 5 friends and each of us loved our delicious meal. The rose was crisp and delicious. The chocolate mouse was so rich yet light and quite amazing! All the food in between was fabulous as well. read more

Their bread is fantastic Get the sea bass. Lovely A solid dinner. The salad was delicious, and we also got the mushrooms special. Service is super friendly and helpful as well read more

This was my favorite meal of the trip. Our appetizers and entrees were perfectly prepared and they had a great wine list. Dessert was AMAZING. We got the chocolate mousse and creams brulee. Highly recommend both. Small place, must have a reservation. read more

Great team running an off the beaten track find. I had the saucisse with a delicious mash, wine choices excellent, and though we didn't have it the mousse au chocolate looked amazing. Great experience read more

Incredible food, great staff, and cool atmosphere. One of the better restaurant experiences I have had in Paris. I would make a reservation as the restaurant is pretty tiny. read more

I am soo glad that I stumbled upon Cinq Mars. I went here for lunch after a visit to the nearby Orsay Museum located 5 minutes away. The service was excellent. The waiter and waitress were extremely friendly, professional, and spoke English very well. We immediately felt welcomed as a enthusiastic French hostess greeted us in French and then English. The food was simple, yet delicious. We did not have to wait long for the food because of the speedy service. We ordered their lunch special which was slightly cheaper than ordering individual items on the menu. The wine was also delicious. I would highly recommend this restaurant to anyone traveling or living in the area. read more

Quaint little place on a quiet street. Excellent service. Wonderful food. The best chocolate mousse in the history of mousse!

loved everything about this place and our dinner here...literally, loved EVERYTHING it is a small space without a view, but a few streets away from the river and from D'Orsay, it captures that "romantic rustic restaurant on a dark parisian alley" feel flawlessly! service was spectacular, very welcoming, and took time to make recommendations; we enjoyed ourselves some: MIXED GREEN SALAD, OLIVE OIL AND LEMON DRESSING ARTISAN FOIE GRAS SEABASS FILET, CREAMY SPINACH PUREE BEEF TENDERLOIN, POTATO GRATIN IN THE SAGE HOT ITALIAN EXPRESSO OVER A VANILLA SCOOP : (if you read my other reviews - bear with me for repeating..) very few places leave us wanting dessert and this place had us stuffed from dinner but still not being ready to accept that we will probably never taste something again from such a marvelous kitchen, we just HAD to order dessert...this ice cream with a fresh expresso was absolute perfection also, the French baguettes were everything you expect in Paris. don't let yourself miss out on this place during your trip! read more

One of the best meals we had in Paris. Staff are extremely friendly and helpful. Small intimate setting after a busy day in Paris. Food was excellent and the food quality was superb! read more

Cute spot! Found it on goop's rec list. Great vino selections, friendly staff! They speak english well! Everything we ordered was delicious: pate, sautéed mushrooms, duck, desserts. Food comes with a serve yourself bucket of cornichon, yummy! Make ressies and enjoy! read more

Cinq-Mars is the place to be if you'd like a cozy DELICIOUS meal and experience at this uniquely designed restaurant. Even at 9:45 on a Thursday night Cinq-Mars was very busy. My very picky daughter had the beef tenderloin and loved it!! Everything is delish and I highly recommend a good place to go after the museum! read more

Our first night in Paris, we're welcomed with a quaint and charming decor, and very witty and demure "le personnel"! The Chez Conquet was phenomenal, as well the beyond decident chocolate mousse! This was a romantic, and enjoyable dining service and a great start to our days in Paris!!! read more

Le Cinq Mars is a fantastic place. Totally non touristy, authentic French. The staff spoke English very well. Service was quite good and with a very cheery attitude. I had the sea bass over ratatouille and it was splendid. Perfect place to eat before the Orsay museum. read more

Le Cinq Mars is a nice little restaurant with a young a friendly staff. They are very tourist friendly and will happily supply English menus. The food was quite good and there was a fair amount of choice. I would give this restaurant a fourth star if it wasn't for the price tag... just a little too steep given the food served. You'll be tempted to go for the bottomless mousse au chocolat for dessert... I suggest you try the ile flotante instead. The mousse wasn't really light and fluffy but rather dense... not great. The ile flotante on the other hand was beautifully executed and not too sweet. read more

We loved Cinq Mars. Lila was especially wonderful, as a hostess and waitress. Our meal was so delectable (my husband's steak in morel sauce was exceptional and my cod was outstanding) that we went back before leaving Paris. We were not disappointed the 2nd time! The mussels were delicious and the mousse was out of this world. Lila made us feel so warmly welcome. The ambiance, service and food were exceptional. We will definitely return when we go back to Paris. One of our favorites and highly recommended! read more

Enjoyed our dinner so much! It's been over a year ago, so I can't really remember what I had but what I can't forget is the chocolate mousse. I wish I can have it every week! I would definitely go back just for it. Lovely little restaurant! read more

Good menu and nice atmosphere. Neil young album playing. Excellent g&t and kir. Wife had calamari. I had lamb with mushroom crime. Pretty dang good. Friendly waitstaff. read more

Wonderful cozy, casual yet hip bistro in a neighborhood with lots of good bistros. There were 6 in our party for dinner and everyone's dishes, from apps to desserts, were amazing. The service and hosts were superb. I had the veal chop which was accompanied by top-of-the-season carrots. Yes, humble carrots, so well made by their chef they sang. I also had the "floating island" dessert which was the most amazing rendition I have ever had. The meringue was light fluffy yet did not taste just like egg whites. Perfect. read more

The place is cool casual and the peeps youngish & trendyish. All the appetizers and desserts were great. The main plats were weaker as were wines by the glass. Having said that, its a great place to meet up w friends, have some delish bread and country paté. The clams were yummy in a lovely wine broth. The egg mayo (deviled eggs) also very good and the green salad light and lovely. Keep it simple & light, u wont miss. It was a fun experience. Dont go 4 culinary go 4 fun read more

Cinq-Mars - Desserts we amazing! Champagne, appetizers and desserts make for a casual fun time w friends! - French Near Me - Paris, 75

Small neighborhood restaurant that made us feel like locals. The staff was kind and patient with us as we figured out the menu. And the food! So delicious!! We will definitely be back. read more

Reliably good, there's enough variety on the menu from week to week to keep us coming back. Good service, cozy, intimate room. The prices are good, too. Plenty of Americans in the room -- mostly expats, not tourists -- and French locals after a day toiling in the nearby government offices and haute shops in this upscale arrondissement. read more

Had a meal for six here. Perfect candle-lit coziness, super staff ( speak Fr & Eng), superb food & killer wine. Highly recommend.

I had lunch here- it was sword fish. Fresh amazing quality food. Fish was nicely done and side salad was great too. Desert was Panna Cotta. Good luck much for about 20 and it was very convenient to go to Orsay. read more

The braised lamb was delicious, but the duck breast was overcooked, making it tough and dry. The brandade de morue was also tough because they chose to deconstruct it, serving it in a casserole dish with mashed potatoes in the center and shredded cod around the outside. So instead of the unctuously creamy emulsion that I was anticipating, I got a ring of unpleasantly dry and tough cod shreds surrounding a pile of bland mashed potatoes. read more

Simple but expertly crafted food, the rib eye steak was particularly delicious. The service was fantastic, friendly without being cloying. Would happily go again. They speak excellent English. read more

We have been dining all weekend at two and three star restaurants so this was a nice relaxing non pretentious change. The food was excellent and very reasonably priced. They had a great wine selection. Would recommend booking in advanced as they were very full when we arrived for our reservation. Staff were very friendly helpful and they had both French and English in their menus. Mix of locals, what seemed like ex-pats, and the like. The location is on a small narrow street very with the typical beautiful architecture Paris has to offer. read more

Best food we had on our short weekend in Paris. Staff is wonderful and the ambience is genuine and perfect!

This is a great restaurant that goes above and beyond your typical place. I had great calamari, fabulous lamb, and a very nice St. Nectaire (cheese). Everything was light and creative -- well-executed. The waiter was extremely friendly and we had fun joking around with him. I hear the place can be quite a scene on Fridays and Saturdays, so go early in the week to be sure you can get a table. There weren't many flour-containing sauces on the menu, so eating here wheat-free was not a problem. read more

Things were relatively quiet on a Wednesday night with just a couple local diners, and we got seated straight away. Service was friendly, and food was fantastic. We both cleaned our plates. Dinner for two came down to around €70. Would definitely be back if I come to this area again. read more

Late post: I had been eyeing this place for weeks prior to arriving in Paris. We decided to try and stop in (without a reservation) and were lucky enough to get a table! I will say, this is probably one of those spots in Paris where you may feel a little awkward if you don't speak a lick of French, but as long as you at least try, the waiters are super friendly! We had a really simple, delicious salad, and our entrees were also really great! We opted for the chocolate mousse for dessert and it did not disappoint. I would definitely return! read more

Very nice staff. They only have seatings at 8pm and 10 pm for reservations. Food was very good and for the price, was well worth it. The mussels were delicious as was the celery soup and the fish was fresh and amazing. The house specialty beef was not as good. Overall cozy and great experience. English speaking staff. read more

I unfortunately never had the pleasure of eating at this restaurant which I heard such nice things about. Even though we had a confirmation by email of our booking for a Saturday evening in October, the Manager claimed that the email was "never written" and he would "never book a large party on a Saturday night". After explaining that I had physical proof of the booking, he essentially implied I was a liar and said there was nothing he could do. And after forwarding him the email, he did not have the courtesy to apologize or even respond. I understand that this review has nothing to do with the food or decor but I just wanted to warn anyone, especially non-Natives, of the poor service and treatment you could potentially encounter at this establishment. read more

Walked in for lunch and had a wonderful time. Food was delicious, service was very good, and the price was reasonable. The restaurant was quaint and casual. Highly recommended. read more

Wonderful little restaurant; intimate and cozy. Dimly lit with rustic decor makes it a great romantic venue or just a place to hang out with friends. It's small and almost always busy so it's wise to make reservations. Staff are friendly and speak English. We had the special of the day, which was "cote de boeuf" (side of beef) for 2 and it was awesome. Unlike many French meals, it was a lot to eat and we left completely stuffed! We were celebrating my husbands birthday and the staff thoughtfully added a candle to our chocolate mousse. read more

Ate here Friday, August 21st, 2015. Had a wonderful experience from wine selection through to the unbelievable salted caramel ice cream. The staff were so nice and accommodated our very English party of 3 without a reservation!! Food is sublime! Must try if you're in this area. read more

Quite nice! Charming wait staff...no attitude here. Basic fare done very nicely. Very near to Musee d'Orsay. Perhaps a bit pricey, but hey, it's Paree! read more

Pricey but worth it. We went to cinq-Mars on the basis of the yelp review and weren't disappointed. It's in a great area and there are loads of other great bars nearby (cafe de l'empire one the corner is also great). You'll probably need to book as it's not massive and seems very popular. However, don't be put off, it's worth the effort as the food was fantastic as was the wine. If you're looking for a great meal in Paris come here. read more

Cinq Mars was awesome if you are looking for excellent food and service in a quaint rustic venue for a good price. The Chocolate Mousse 'Forever' was to-die-for. We took our waiter's recommendations for every course with no disappointments. read more