First, if you want to experience this restaurant you must make a reservation. The restaurant is small but seems to be always very busy. The tables are small and placed next to each others so if you decide to have a romantic dinner or are claustrophobic, go elsewhere. Once your reservation is confirmed (hostess a bit rude), get ready for the experience: AMAZING! I enjoyed every single dish I ordered. it is a prix fixe menu for 35 euros and it varies regularly depending of the chef's shopping bag that day. My peaks: Terrine de foie gras au torchon Cuisse de canette confite sabayon de fraises. I definitely recommend this restaurant!! chapeau to the chef! read more

This storefront eatery leaves pretension at home. Two rows of duces, spaced an inch apart and a staircase to the basement seating area, chalkboard walls, and an entry to the kitchen are all you get. My brother and I walked in at 7PM on the first night in Paris, without a reservation. Perhaps it was because we were early, but the server paused, as if to calculate if she could deal with us, and then told us to pick either the table closest to the door or the kitchen. Later arrivals were banished to the basement. 3 Course prix fixe was 38e and worth every penny. The Fois Gras starter made me realize I was in France, and the Duck Breast with a fantastic demi sauce for Plat had me all but licking the plate. While I don't remember the desert so well, it could be due to the wonderful and not bank breaking wine list. Once the place filled up a little, it was all but impossible not to interact with the other guests, which is a great experience, with only about 60% of the folks speaking in english. Still great night, I'd come back tomorrow. read more

Customer service is amazing, the location is fantastic, and while the seating is a little tight, the ambience is lovely. However, the food is totally hit or miss. I had one meal that knocked it out of the park; it was just perfect. Then I had dinner there on New Year's Eve, and only enjoyed about 2 courses of the 5 course meal. Also, if you prefer to eat as the locals do, then this isn't the place. It's always packed with Americans! It's nice to hear the sounds of home when travelling, but it gets a little loud. read more

The place is small but very busy and for good reason! The staff is friendly and able to communicate in multiple languages. The food was excellent... I had cod and my wife had chicken friccase!! Both were excellent and part of a fix pix meal for 38 euros. Well worth it..... The chocolate mousse and creme brûlée were out of this worth!! read more

Intimate restaurant with incredible meals! The staff was great and understood English well. A three course meal costs about 38 Euro in addition to a bottle of wine (which started at 24 Euros and ranged to bottles priced at over 300 Euros). Would recommend this restaurant. read more

Great French food at a reasonable price. The appetizer of shrimp in millefeuille sat on a bed of puréed sweet potato spiked with smoked eel. My broiled chicken came surrounded by a Calvados cream sauce and delightful broiled potatoes. I had a light dessert of fruit with sorbet. However, the service was a little bit slow and confused but this didn't bother me (it could be annoying though if you were in a rush). The waitresses were all extremely nice and helpful, translating dishes I didn't understand. read more

DO NOT GO HERE. Most expensive and worst tasting meal I've had in Paris so far. The waitress didn't evn give us napkins or replace our water, my boyfriends rabbit pate was literally not edible, and the rest of the food was barely mediocre, at best. Do not waste your time and money. Down the street is Ferdi, a delicious, friendly, very attentive restaurant with better prices. Go there instead. read more

I have had several great meals at l'Ardoise in the past. Sadly, however, the restaurant is not what it was. The food last week ranged from average to inedible (a black-ink risotto that was so salty that neither of the two diners on our table that ordered it could eat it) and the atmosphere is mediocre at best. There are lots of better restaurants in the 1st (and across Paris for that matter), so until l'Ardoise significantly improve their offering, it would be best avoided. read more

5 stars for great value. Really good food at reasonable prices. €38 prix fixe menu included a great white asparagus appetizer, lamb chops cooked perfectly with ratatouille seasoned right, and a choice of dessert. Cozy atmosphere and very good service. Was recommended by my [American] hotel and, maybe not-so-strangely full of Americans the Saturday night we went. Is there better French food? No doubt. But for a nice authentic French dinner at a price that won't blow out the Paris budget, L'Ardoise is a great choice. read more

Went there on the recommendation by our hotel, the Brighton. We were early, first ones there & We were sat right next to the waitress station. A tad awkward and since place was empty rather odd. The woman who took our order seemed annoyed. The second was very friendly. The food was great. No problem there, but definitely tight quarters. Hopefully, the people placed next to you are not annoying. Mostly Americans were there. My duck special was good. My raspberry Neapolitan was truly a taste treat. My sisters cod dish was very good. No complaints at all about the food, delicious, just be in a mood to make friends. read more

We were worried about the mixed reviews, especially the ones that made it sound "touristy", but when we got there we were pleasantly surprised. Yes there were a few other "English" speaking patrons, but there were also French patrons there. The restaurant is way too small to be considered full of tourists. I did initially get the feeling that with the prix fix menu they kind of checked the boxes as you ordered and then the food gets processed and served, BUT when the food came out it was delicious. Overall, the place was small, quaint and quiet. We brought our 16 year old girls and the atmosphere was perfect for them too. The staff was friendly and accommodating and the food was delicious. I had the faux gra, the sea bass and the napolean. The faux gra was wonderful, the fish tasty and the napoleon was a unique take on a classic desert. It was nicely sweet and crispy. Everyone had to finish my desert. The family also had the fish, but they had the tuna tartare appetizer. Also good, but not as good as my faux gra. I would DEFINITELY recommend this as a safe place to have excellent local food. read more

Their cheapest wines were not all that great. They were out of their revered pork dish (I forget what it is, but it is mentioned in other reviews) at 9 pm, so maybe get an earlier reservation to try it? The lamb was good, sauce okay, sides good. The salted caramel ice cream and chocolate ganache were amazing. Oh my god so good!!!! The restaurant didn't feel as warm as others, just the layout I guess. The chef is from Sweden and her partner, our waitress, is Latin. But the food is French. read more

Sitting outside with a view of the Eiffel Tower on a beautiful May evening watching the sunset eating a scrumptious meal.....PRICELESS. This is one of my favorite restaurants in Paris. We got the prix fixe dinner which was a good deal at 35 Euros. I'd definitely go back again when I go back to Paris. read more

Came across this restaurant on yelp and couldn't be happier with the experience. Thanks to the reviews I had a heads up on the place being small and siting elbow to elbow. When we got there the place was already packed and had to sit downstairs. This place is tiny and when packed gets a bit hot. Service was slow but again I expected this, turns out they were down a waiter. Anyhow to the food for 38 Euros for a 3 course meal it can't be beat the food was amazing! For the starter I had the escargot pancake which was to die for I left the plate clean! Main dish I had the lamb stew which was again mouth watering. I had my doubts about it but I was amazed with the first bite. The lamb was super tender and the flavors were just right! Dessert I don't really care for so not really going to comment. But the food was definitely amazing and with a great price ! Defiantly if in the areas it's a must go read more

This place captures what I love about Paris. Fabulous food off the prix fixe menu, with a couple of additional specials for consideration. My wife had crab cake, lamb tenderloin and a raspberry tart, I had sardines in lemon oil, scallops and the old standard, creme brulle. All familar foods with a different twist. Of course, we had only inches separating tables, typical for many Paris places. So if space is more important than taste, find something else. Otherwise, this is a delightful restaurant with staff comfortable in English. Enjoy. read more

A friend recommended this restaurant near the Louvre so we made reservations well in advance of our vacation in Paris. The food, wine and atmosphere was excellent. A casual quaint bistro with a friendly atmosphere. I had the lamb stew which was very flavorful. The portion was too big for one so suggest sharing this dish. The wait staff spoke English and the menu was also in English. Highly recommend! read more

What may at first seem to be just another a tiny, typical french bistro produces food of the highest caliber and anything but typical. Our party of four (early December 2010) greatly enjoyed everything we ordered but if we had to pick one standout dish it would be the Risotto with Squid and Chorizo. It sounds like an odd combination but from the flavors it must have been come from divine inspiration. Superb! Reservations are a must and apparently can be difficult to come by but if you can get in...go and enjoy! read more

Unbelievable 3-course dinner that's affordable and intimate. Would recommend to anyone visiting Paris.

"Fast food", rushed service, mediocre attitude, good food, reasonably priced. Tried to get us to finish and out the door as soon as they could for next seating. The bill came without being requested, very unusual for restaurant in France. Will not go back. Plenty of other great places in Paris. read more

Great place. Fantastic first night dinner in paris. We came on a Friday night got seated right away even though the restaurant was pretty much full. Waiters are very friendly to Americans and the service is great. We got the 36euro prefix menu which was delicious. I would recommend the lamb chops and the scallops. read more

My only complaint is that we found this wonderful restaurant on our last day in Paris, so we couldn't return. We would have, each night, if we could. Be aware that you should have reservations! We had read other reviews that warned about needing reservations, but we walked past about 4:30-5:00 and saw the owner / chef behind the counter and the door was unlocked. So hubby walked in and asked if we could make a reservation and were gratiously given one for 5:30. When we returned for dinner, several people showed up without reservations and were turned away. And every table was filled by 6:00. The service was friendly and helpful (the waitress spoke English), albeit a little hectic. But the food! Fabulous. The best meal we had in Paris. Absolutely delicious. And a prix fixe for 35Euros each. Don't miss this (but make reservations). read more

Very disappointed with the server here.. I had let an American family know who just arrived in town that tipping is included in the bill in France and that you could leave some coins however not necessary like it is in America. The waitress then scolded me in front of other customers telling me tip was not included. She spoiled a good meal and in return making me not want to recommend this establishment. Very disappointed in the way the waitress acted ease dropping and then scolding me and telling me I was wrong. She was just mad she didn't get the 30 euros the other family was going to leave. Absolutely left a bad taste in my mouth about servers in Paris. read more

wonderful food and service. Tables are small and crammed tight. Not a place for private conversation. Price fix menu of 35 Euros per person for three course dinner felt really inexpensive. Probably the best lamb chops I have had anywhere. Could go there several nights in a row and try different things. Staff were very helpful and fluent in English. read more

We were in Paris with my husbands company, receiving VIP treatment. The concierge at our hotel recommended L'Ardoise for one evening we were on our own for dinner. In this tiny restaurant we were served the best meal of our week in Paris! read more

We were referred to this restaurant by our concierge at the Westin Vendome because it was similar to Le Soufflé, which was our first choice but was closed and only a few doors down from L'Ardoise. We thought the 38 Euros for a three-course meal was a great bargain in Paris, but the experience was NOT worth the savings. The meal started with one of the servers spilling red wine on our table. When we checked my husband's sleeve for wine stains, the server muttered something like an apology THEN blamed him for putting his arm on the table while using his phone. Seriously? Then came the food. My duck plate was perfect but was practically slammed on my table by the same server! She claimed the plate was too hot and was burning her hand, so she threw it down in front of me, almost spilling the sauce. This was one of their only 10 or so main entrees and she didn't know it was hot? Ever heard of a dish towel? Seriously?? Of course, it was downhill from there. My mother ordered the veal cooked "medium" and it came super "well done." I swear, I took a bite to try it and was so tough, I had to spit it out! I complained to the server and she came back telling me that veal should not be ordered well done. I told her that was precisely the problem, because we ordered it medium! Seriously??? A few minutes later, this same server knocked down a can of diet coke my sister was drinking, AND gave us a bill of 365 euros that was a duplicate of what another server already gave us! After all that fiasco, she was double billing us! Seriously??? After she realized what she'd done, she grabbed the bill, crumpled it in front of us, and went away without an apology. Seriously??? We all make mistakes, but to make 5 in a row without properly apologizing is ridiculous. No amount of good French food can make up for this ineptness! Please, if you are an establishment located in this very posh neighborhood in Paris -- be serious!!! read more