One word - terrible. The manager seated us and immediately started pressuring us to order. There was a mother with a young daughter next to us who asked for a carafe but this guy brought a large bottle and opened it for them before the mom could say anything. The guy then told us that we had to order in 5 minutes or the kitchen would be closed (this was at 8pm). I called our hotel (who had recommended the place) and had them speak to the owner. We left as quickly as we could. Never going back here. Paris has many incredible restaurants. Don't waste your time and money on this one. I would give it 0 stars if I could. read more

Wanted to try something different on my first meal in Paris, so I opted for Moroccan food at Essaouira. Booking was very straightforward on the website. The decor in here is quite stunning. You really feel like you're in Morocco with the decorations. And it's also not even that loud, which is perfect for a nice intimate dinner. Had the Kefta with Moroccan Salad and Royal Pigeon Pastilla as starters, Lamb Tagine with Seasonal Fruits and Kefta Meatball Couscous for entrées, and the Selection of Moroccan Pastries as dessert. Portions were really good and everything was super tasty. Not the absolute best food I've ever had, but I was not disappointed. Staff here are quite friendly. Even though they don't all speak English, they are very nice and helpful. And yes, they do have English menus at least. Really enjoyed Essaouira, glad I made the trip here. read more

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Beautiful restaurant and decor. You feel like you've been transported from Paris to Morocco. Tried Moroccan food on the recommendation of a local. A little bit of a language gap between our broken French and our waiter's broken English, but we had no trouble! We tried the Royal Pastilla with Pigeon (yes, pigeon!) to start. The mix of sweet and spicy flavor was good and the pigeon tasted like a cross between chicken and pork. Our entrees were huge and could easily be split between two or three people. I got the couscous lamb skewers. The root vegetables in broth that came with them was tremendous. read more

Essaouira - Royal Pastilla with Pigeon - Moroccan Near Me - Paris, 75

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A chic Moroccan restaurant. The moment you walk in, you will be struck by their impressive decor. I know nothing about design but I appreciate craftsmanship and attention to detail that went into all the carvings on the walls and ceilings. Menu is well organised and easy to read - tajin or cous cous, basically. If you don't eat meat, you might struggle to find something you want to eat. But my cous cous was nice. read more

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The indoor vibe is a trip to Morocco! Great menu of couscous and tagines. Prices are okay (cannot expect lower in the area).

I was trying to find my review for Essaouira and didn't realize I didn't write one? So, disclaimer that this review is from when we had dinner here years ago but it left a really positive lasting impression on me. We were walking around Trocadéro on an extremely chilly fall evening to take in the Eiffel Tower when we needed to escape the crowds and cold. Amazingly, after walking literally 2-3 minutes we found ourselves on a very quiet street and happily strolled into Essaouira. WOW. First of all, this restaurant is absolutely stunning inside. I spent all of the time waiting for our food just trying to take in all of the gorgeous decor details on the walls and feeling just truly transported during the middle of our Parisian vacation. Then... our food. Oh my goodness, it hit the spot SO precisely well, it was just what we needed. My partner and I will never forget how delicious and comforting the harira soup was, like a warm hug had traveled from Morocco to Paris just for us. We each enjoyed a tagine, one lamb and one chicken, and the portions were beautiful and delicious and so so good. I sipped on a lovely Moroccan mint tea to warm up. Honestly, we were extremely surprised by how quiet the restaurant was, but we got to enjoy being in a reverent bliss while we enjoyed our meal in silence when we needed to. (The only reason we were able to tear ourselves from our lovely table when we did was because an argumentative parent-child duo sat down near us and... it became uncomfortable haha) Honestly, I would consider this this a MUST try when you're at Trocadéro, it's less than a 5 minute walk from the metro station, and you will be welcomed by friendly staff, delicious food, and gorgeous interiors. I definitely want to return if I'm able to come back to Paris. read more

It was mistake to follow the high rating. Food was overpriced and overrated. The service was terrible. Stay away from this restaurant.

Extremely authentic decor for this place near Trocadéro. Moroccan food was the craving. We had the salad as a starter and kefta meatballs with eggs in a tajine. The base of the broth is similar to shakshuka. I didn't realize there was coriander/cilantro in both dishes which put a damper on the evening. I had a basic red wine from Morocco, which was not bad at all. read more

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Wonderful, flavorful, plentiful meals in a stunning setting-- it's like a room from Casablanca was shipped over tile by tile and reconstructed in an out of the way (or at least out of the touristy area) street. Word of warning: the couscous dish is big enough for two. They have the option to add an extra protein portion, which would make it even more perfect for sharing. Very affordable, a fabulous counterpoint to the heavy French food. And it looks like the perfect place for a larger party--there was a birthday group of about 15 in the side room where we were. If I lived here, this would be an option for a small celebration for me too. Loved it. read more

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Essaouira is a truly beautiful place that I came to for dinner one rainy night. I was craving Moroccan cuisine and coming here was the best idea! I got seated within a couple minutes, despite not having a reservation. It was pretty bustling at the time but not too packed. I got seated in this little nook toward the back of the seating area (there are two, splitting after you enter) and it was really nice. The seating was nice with its cushions and small pillows. The seating extended against the wall all around the nook, perfect for groups. I ordered some sparkling water and a meal that included fresh couscous, vegetables, tender lamb and with all the seasonings. The portion was HEFTY. I seriously left that place so full and happy! The flavor was perfect and the authenticity was real. It was so charming to enjoy lovely Moroccan food and enjoy the ambience. The staff are so welcoming and truly a pleasure to talk to. The host even complimented on my French, even though I am very much not a fluent French speaker so that boosted my confidence haha! I would recommend to anybody wanting some tasty Moroccan food to go here, you won't regret it! read more

i adore the food the decor is magical and the staff are delightful it is my favorite morrocan restaurant when i visit paris, i always make sure to eat here. read more

We felt the food was good but not exceptional. And we are accustomed to Moroccan dishes/restaurants. Our couscous dishes were about 22E each and the Kafka meatball only had 3 small meatballs. The lamb dish I ordered was ok but very fatty. For what you get the dishes should be closer to 15E. They serve a big bowl of couscous on the side but the meat dishes to accompany were very minimal. read more

I should start by saying we visited in our last evening, so we were rather tired from a rather active trip. That being said, we nearly walked by at around 8pm and passed on because it was rather empty. Thank goodness for the one table that was there and we decided to go in. Such a wonderful meal, excellent food and pleasantly surprised by the Moroccan wine. The delightful surprise was the pigeon pastille, absolutely delicious. One of the most beautiful places I have had the opportunity to dine in. Five Stars for food and decor...would absolutely return more than once. read more

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Moroccan Cuisine. Our best meal in Paris yet. Order the Tagine. We have been in Paris for three weeks now and make it our point to go find the best food in this city so renowned for its cuisine. If you look at my profile, you will see that I have visited many restaurants that people say is "hands down the best food I have had in Paris." You will also see that I rarely give above three stars, and especially rarely five. Yet this place is one of the best places I have ever eaten in my entire life, and I plan to return. The service is friendly, prices reasonable, ambience romantic and calming, and food incredible. We got the seasonal fruit lamb tagine and a couscous - the cuoscous we ordered came with lots of vegetables and seemed really healthy, and the lamb tagine is.... the best dish I have eaten in Paris. We also got Moroccon Mint tea and ordered seconds we enjoyed it so much. My advice? Make a reservation and go around 9:30 - make sure (if you eat lamb) to get some sort of lamb tagine and some Moroccon Mint Tea. Unless you particularly like couscous, I would get one sweet and one salty tagine. And one more piece of advice? Please go here - do NOT miss it! There were no potatoes as far as I could remember, just lots of real, hearty vegetables. read more

Essaouira - Sweet lamb tagine and couscous - Moroccan Near Me - Paris, 75

We are in Paris on a vacation and wanted to find a North African restaurant. We were by the Eiffel tower and I found this place through Yelp. We got there around 11am and decided to sit outside and wait for them to open. By 11:25 they told us we could come inside and they were very kind to open up early for us. We were seated immediately and the hostess was very friendly. They brought out drinks and an appetizer that was AMAZING. It was cucumbers and I think maybe carrots? They way it was spiced was so delicious and they took our food order soon after that. My aunt got the beef kefta and I got the chicken skewers, both were fantastic. Very flavorful and it was the best food I've had since being in Paris. 10000/10 would recommend this place! read more

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This Moroccan restaurant was a gem. They open at 7:00pm but the owner let hungry me and my husband early in since we tried to bust in at 6:55pm. When you enter this restaurant, you will feel as though you've somehow left Paris and ended up in the living room your North African grandmother. The decor was really cool. The walls were carved with designs and colorfully tiled, the tables had gold plating, and there was an area in which you could lounge on a bench next to your table mates. There were two workers at the restaurant - the server/owner and the one chef in the kitchen. It felt very welcoming, serene, and familial. (The peacefulness might have been because we arrived as soon as they opened and had the whole place to ourselves for 45 minutes... hehe). My husband chose to eat the couscous with lamb shoulder, and I the Tajine with lamb and the seasonal fruit. The lamb was divine. In my husbands savory dish as well as my sweet dish, the hefty portion melted in our mouths. I'm not usually able to finish a big piece of red meat but this I devoured. The flavor and smells were incredible. The couscous dish came with vegetable broth which added even more flavor. I was blown away by the intense aromas and flavor of these two dishes. We followed this with hot beverages for dessert. You can't go wrong with the creme de menthe (a sweet mint tea) with pastries or the cafe ottoman (a very strong black coffee). This was seriously one of the best meals I've ever had. I just felt so relaxed, well fed, and rejuvenated after it was all said and done. It is not unreasonably priced either. Hubs and I each had an aperitif (kir royals), entrees and hot beverages with pastries for dessert and paid 80 euros. Really not bad for a very central tourist area next to a key Eiffel Tower viewing point (Trocadero). read more

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This is a favorite go-to restaurant for me when I visit Paris. The food is always fresh and delicious. Options for vegetarians and meat eaters alike. The true star beside the food is the ambiance. The place is decorated very nicely so when you step inside it's like you're in another world. My friend who is half Moroccan says this is the most authentic place she's been to for couscous in Paris. They are very accommodating and I even brought my own cake that I wanted them to surprise someone with since we were celebrating their birthday and they were super kind and obliged. If you need a filling meal with super large portions this is the place for you. It's also the perfect place to share a meal. Things are served family style. They serve the Mint tea piping hot and will do the grand high pour for you! Great service and delicious! read more

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What a delight! Made a reservation for a group of 8 with only a one-day notice and they not only seated us all together in a Beautiful room but served us all group-style couscous at our request. The food was delicious, the staff kind, and the location and setting were perfect. Fantastic experience! read more

Prior to my trip to Paris I wrote down a list of restaurants that I wanted to try, and this place came highly recommended. I had never tried Moroccan food before, and all of the reviews that I had read on Yelp spoke really highly of the restaurant. I don't know if it was just me, but when you're walking toward the restaurant it can be kind of easy to miss if you're not paying attention (probably just my low attention span). So I walk in, and I'm immediately greeted by the woman at the front counter! By this time I had already mastered the way of saying "Hello, a table for one please" in French, so it must've sounded pretty convincing because I have no idea what was said to me in the rapid fire French that followed my phrase. So I'm seated next to a large group who all seem to really be enjoying their food and I overhear one of them say that they are Moroccan, so I figured I would just order whatever they ordered haha. So the waitress comes back and says something to me in French (yep no idea what was said), so I use my other go to phrase "Je ne parle Francais", at which point she thought I was joking because she laughed continued in French. I think the blank expression on her face gave her the clue that I really had no idea what she was saying to me (I know, I know I'll do better next time). So she asks in French what languages I could speak and I told her Spanish or English. As soon as I said that a woman next to me told me that she would help me in Spanish, and the large group on the other side told me that they would help me in English! So as I look through the menu I decide to ask for suggestions. The woman next to me tells me that the Tagine dishes are really good, but she really likes the couscous because of the amount of food that comes with it! Done! The waitress comes back and I decide to order the Essaouira couscous (chicken, lamb, spicy sausage). Maybe 15-20 minutes later the food comes out and it looks really good! A plate of couscous, a bowl of what seemed to be like a vegetable stew/soup, and a plate of all of the meats! I turn to the large group next to me and ask if there is a certain way that I should eat the mail. One tells me that I pour the stew over the couscous and then enjoy from there! I do as such, and prepare to dig in! I must say that the meal was very filling, and all of the food was very nicely cooked. The meats were tender and flavorful, the couscous with the stew made a nice combination, and it was all around a good meal. So the bill comes and I had a ballpark idea of how much I though everything was going to be. Turns out the water that I ordered came with a hefty price of 7€ (I think it was actually 6.50, but expensive either way haha). Aside from that, I really have no room to complain about my experience at the restaurant, and I'd like to maybe maybe ok me back some day to try the Tagine read more

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Step into a Morroccan oasis - this restaurant is covered floor-to-ceiling in different colored tile, glass, and plaster molding and carved wood. I caught myself gazing off at different corners of the restaurant throughout dinner - just a wonderful look and feel in here. Also, the cushioned seating was very comfortable and clean. The food - the lamb tagine is decadent and the biggest portion of lamb that I have yet seen in Paris and the bread is the best Morroccan bread I have had - dense and soft inside, crispy exterior and straight out of the oven. Just delicious! This is right by the Eiffel Tower, yet no tourists were here. Also, I went here through http://www.lafourchette.com and got 30% extra off our bill, even though the prices are already decent. read more

Essaouira - Inside the restaurant - the cushions are quite comfortable - Moroccan Near Me - Paris, 75

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My favorite meal in Paris on our 10-day stay! Actually, possibly one of my FAVORITE meals, EVER. No, I'm not exaggerating. This restaurant is located close to Trocadero/Eiffel Tower but isn't at all a shitty tourist-trap restaurant. This place is legit. Their harira (soup) was delicious and perfectly seasoned. It was a cooler day and their soup warmed me right up. For my meal I had the lamb kefta tagine, which came sizzling. The kefta were small and the perfect size to just scoop up with a spoon and shove in your mouth. It was served with a plate of cous cous, which I spooned into my tagine so I could soak up all of the glorious juices in there. My husband ordered the lamb kabab meal. It was served with a huge bowl of cous cous, and a huge bowl of vegetable soup. You ladle the veggie soup into the bowl with your cous cous and eat it all with your kabab. It was so delicious and I ended up stealing some of his soup (there was a lot of soup) for my own cous cous. Their red wine is from Morocco and was very good and affordable. We got a demi bottle. Our meal also came with some bread and a few sauces and sides (chickpeas, and a carrot/raisin dish). Our server, and the person whom I assume is the owner, were both extremely nice. We devoured everything, and I'm sure they were impressed. read more

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I traveled for a conference in Paris with a friend and I knew I wanted to try something different. I have long known about the North African community in Paris and was looking for a place that dispels the best of this culture. The rooms are beautifully decorated with carved wooden panels. We had the pigeon pastry puff for appetizer and it was fantastic! Savory and light. We had the sweet lamb tajine and it was perfect and light. We would also recommend the chicken kabob with rice. read more

Sweet Christmas... Phenomenal service. Majestic food. Best meal in Paris (and we've crushed the top tier brasseries and cafes). I was craving Moroccan food during our visit and they exceeded my wildest dreams. For real. The master of the house guided us through his favorites. A Moroccan red wine, a sweet dish, a salty dish, kefta, eggplant, couscous... we will stop by the Notre Dame to pray for their continued success. We haven't even left the restaurant and we cannot stop raving about our meal. Impeccable in every way. PS. Mint tea with dessert? F%&? YES! read more

Wonderful decor, good service, and decent food. It's the 16th, so don't expect bargain pricing, but do expect traditional Moroccan cuisine and some mint tea to finish it off. read more

Loved our meal here! Vegetable salads were spiced perfectly and refreshing. The lamb tagine with fennel and ginger was so tasty, meat tender and falling off the bone. The waiter recommended a Moroccan wine which we were skeptical about, but it was a really good red. Service was efficient and not rushed. Already recommended it to some fellow travelers. We'd be regulars if we lived here :-) read more

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I love the ambience of this place.It's casual but with a flair, thanks to the Moroccan design of the place. We we're greeted by a lady at the door. She was very nice and accommodating. We we're a little bit tired of French and Italian food so wanted to try something different for our last day. Found this place through Yelp. When you're walking around that area, this restaurant is a little bit easy to miss so just be mindful. I got the lamb tangine with olives and candied lemon(22 euros I believe) as well as the red wine from Morocco(15 euro per glass). Very good meal. Very flavorful.The lamb was tender, falling off the bones. My bf got the lamb couscous(22 euros). He liked it as well but he said mine was a better option. Serving is big so you can definitely share. read more

Best meal. Although close to the Eiffel Tower, I thought we were walking into a tourist trap but no sir, we were wrong. This turned out to be one of the most delicious meals I've ever had. EVER HAD. We ordered lamb tagine with preserved lemons and chicken couscous. The tagine had fall off the bone lamb. Couscous was good too but I wish I ordered another lamb tagine. I dream of a day when I get to go here again and try the food. Out of his world. The owner (cute old man) was very hospitable and we were one of the last people to leave and he showed us around and even offered to take a photo of us! So cute. Go here. Trust me, it's worth every euro! Reasonably priced for what you get. read more

Authentic Moroccan restaurant! Had vegetarian options and amazing zaalouk. Tagine was great and plenty of dessert options. However service could have been better. Beautiful atmosphere. Great for parties read more

Food was amazing, highly recommend! We started with a brick which was delicious, two merguez and then we split 1 couscous. And of course done forget the mint tea!! read more

Food was really good. The atmosphere is amazing and its a very pretty place. The only issue was the server, he was all over the place, dropped a glass full of water on me. He seemed in a rush even tho there were no more than two other tables. Whatever you order accompany it with the couscous. Might return and might recommend. read more

During our visit to Paris my family decided to change up the menu and go out for Moroccan one night. Our hotel was in the "golden triangle" so we were having a bit of trouble finding affordable restaurants. Essaouira came up on the Yelp map with a few others. I wasn't able to look at exact prices because their website didn't work well with my mobile but another reviewer mentioned a price range that fit our budget, so we tried it out. Amazing. Best Moroccan I've had. Maybe if you spend more money at the more expensive restaurants they are better, but I don't know what could improve. -Beautifully decorated Moroccan style. -English menus translated from French just as well as other restaurants in Paris (still leaves some language barrier) -Tajine in the 16-20€ range. -2 starters, 4 tajine, 2 deserts, and tea; made 4 happy diners for ~130€ read more

Great ambiance, best lamb tangine I ever had and the owners are very friendly. Love this place.

This restaurant was very nice and not cheesy. The food tasted much better than it looked even considering it looked marvelous. Their service was amazing and they were very nice to you. There food was freshly made and served hot. I totally recommend this place. read more

The place is really nice and the food was great. The lamb dish was great and we really enjoyed the mint tea

Wow! I wasn't even hungry and had to come in after seeing the beautiful decor. Wonderful food, great people, family-owned, amazing handcar bed woodwork and mosaics by artisans from Morocco. Stop by for at least the tea! read more

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Really? How could anyone possibly enjoy the food or service at this restaurant? It's so disappointing to waste a dinner in Paris when you only have a few nights. The food was not only bland but each dish, the vegetable couscous, chicken tagine, and lamb brochettes, tasted the same - watered down flavorless nothing. The lamb was indeed tender but the rice it was served with was gummy and tasted like everything else. The portions were minuscule as compared to other Moroccan restaurants I've eaten at and the tagine was served without couscous !!! The two starters we ordered, eggplant dip and potato and cheese brick were a joke. There might have been 1/4 cup of tasteless eggplant dip and a tiny pastilla filled with eggs and cheese! No potato's anywhere. At ten euro per appetizer, teensy portions of incorrectly described food without North African bread or condiments is unheard of. The dessert of assorted Moroccan Pasteries consisted of two dates and four very small uninspired tiny not at all fresh pasteries. The service was just plain weird. The man who took our order our was like the zombie wait person. No expression, said maybe three words, never smiled, never asked us what we wanted. We had to ask for water, drinks, menus...weird - he never talked! The woman who delivered our food was only slightly engaging. Never at any point we're we asked if we needed something else. We had to flag her down for more water and bread (French bread, not North African). This is a terrible excuse for a restaurant. read more

This food is exquisite. Try the combo meat platter with couscous. Comes with a hearty portion of mixed vegetables

good food！good service！we will go back again！This place is next to the tower， we had a nice walk after dinner read more

Essaouira - sooooòo good - Moroccan Near Me - Paris, 75

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It's been a while since my last review, guess I've been lazy, but here is review during a trip to Paris. Tried this restaurant because of the 4 1/2 rating but I was really disappointed. Menu was very limited, wife wanted chicken kebabs but they had lamb and beef. I had the mixed plate which came with "sausage" - I didn't know sausage in Paris means salty Hot Dog - because that's exactly what it was a frankfurter like you get from the states, the cheap kind at that. My son ordered the chicken with couscous and wife ordered the chicken tagine. Both only came with a drumstick and thigh, the cheapest cuts from a chicken. I guess they don't serve white meat in Paris either. Was also charged extra for a plate of rice which wife wanted as a substitute for whatever came with the tagine. Overpriced for what you get and the service was lousy also. 2 stars for being close to the River Seine for watching the lights on the Eiffel Tower after the meal. read more

Amazing Moroccan food in a beautiful restaurant. The vegetarian couscous was hearty and the couscous itself was pillowy and delicious. Great coffee too! read more