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It was our first meal in Paris and if I am honest none of our Paris meals blew me away. The service was good, the waitress tried and we tried to communicate as she didnt really know English. Escargot in Paris is a lot different than at the Keg back home. I guess the greener the better and these were green so I assume good. I liked them but not what I expected. Steak was alright and the wine was decent but not mind blowing. Wifes meal was the same decent... the overall vibe is a 80s steak house. Overall it was an ok dinner
Last year we spent most of our time in the "city suburbs" of the 16th with many sleepy neighborhoods filled with delightful adventures. This year we are staying in the 15th near Pont de Bir-Hakeim, which provides delightful metro access to areas we wanted to explore; we had our first sunny Sunday after a few days of rain and Paris spring cold; with the sun out we took the metro to Montparnasse - to spend time with the artists of the early 20th century. Parisian wait staff here extraordinarily busy for a hustling Sunday morning, we walked in and said our "Bonjours!' and were asked how many and asked to wait just a moment. The place inside is luxurious - people we dressed quite well for a Sunday morning, as American Tourists we felt "slightly underdressed" but were able to fit in. The floor manager was attentive (and busy) and directed us to the front door where a man was ready to sit us in a fine outdoor spot facing the street on a perfect sprint morning! The table was already set for us with white tablecloths and silverware and menus and glasses. The menus opened like the daily news and had on-offer seafood, meats and other fine foods. The back featured drinks and exceptional wine selections. Our waiter greeted us and we ordered sparkling water and a nice Rose Cote du Provence. Perfect for a sunny Sunday morning. We started our people-watching and we delighted with how busy this corner was - lots of people coming and going in their Sunday finery. Our waiter returned and we ordered our first course; Onion Soups of course! Despite how busy they were the food arrived reasonably quickly. The soup quality was impeccable - every bite had just the right amount of cheese and onions. We ordered light salads for our mains, and a lovely Red wine that turned into a second bottle. The wine was recommended with our main course and paired particular well! Looking about we saw other folks here having light brunch, or light faire. Others indulging in amazing seafood courses. One older man sat near us, Hemingway beard and beret - taking notes and enjoying coffee. La Rotonde was notable as it helps dawn the Parisian Cafe culture - all was required was a cup of coffee and you could sit all day and enjoy. The original owner, noting the artist culture sweeping Paris, it was told would allow artists whom could not pay for a coffee "she would accept a drawing on the napkin" in return for their coffee. As the afternoon came into view and the sun began to set we ended our lunch with a recommended light wafer-like desert - amazing! Staff were busy but on-point; as an American remember to wait for them to see you and just raise a finger - they may not come straight away but they will nod and get to you after running through their backlog of service. Here they were all five gold stars - all perfect with respect to service, recommendations, food, wine parings, all good. The bill was on point for what we had. Thank you La Rotonde for a delightful Sunday afternoon for three weary Americans!
Were planning on going to Le Dome but had some amazing seafood for lunch at L'Avant Comptoir de la Mer so made an audible and crossed the street. Have been to La Coupole a few times and really enjoy it but my wife wanted to try another famous brasserie in Montparnasse. We got one of the last tables without a reservation when we arrived at 7:20 and had an absolutely splendid meal. Started with the frisée and lardon salad (basically a Lyonnaise salad) and the crab and avocado salad. Both were fantastic and I especially loved the 'guacamole' -- a real treat. For our mains we got the entrecôte and the steak tartare. The entrecôte was cooked to a perfect medium rare and the pommes dauphine alongside it were butter and rich and delicious. The steak tartare was a massive serving and seasoned perfectly (I also loved that they give Tabasco and a very strong mustard to ramp up the taste if you is desire. Service was polite and prompt and the interior is as nice as the other grand brasseries -- definitely worth a try (or in our case another visit)
This restaurant was great!! One of my best meals since landing in Europe. The steak was cooked to perfection, the au gratin was cooked perfectly and flavorful. I also LIVED for the red wine that they me! To Note, they gave complimentary bread and olives. I don't like olives but these were good. Everyone at my table enjoyed their food and I don't normally finish my food but I did here. The ambiance is unmatched and extremely high end. They have heaters outside for cold weather. Yes they check your COVID card/green pass. The service was good but it also depends on who you get... The price was not terrible it was $120 or so for 3 people and wine. I would come back.
Bohemian brasserie with rustic food, located closed to the Eiffel Tower! We made reservations here after research revealed this was frequented by Picasso and is still a popular spot for Parisian Intelligentsia. We started with the seafood platter. It varied from escargots to head-on shrimp. It was delicious! The escargot was plump and fresh, with a clean taste (we ordered the plain ones, not the ones cooked in garlic and butter to really taste the ingredient). The oysters and shrimp were fresh, sweet and juicy. My salmon was a larger portion than expected, which I shared with my dinner partner. While a little dry, it had beautiful grill marks, and was flaky in texture. The potatoes and broccoli were treated with respect to the ingredient; clean and served whole. We stayed for a while without feeling rushed by waitstaff, enjoying our meal and people-watching around us at the corner of the two boulevards. Overall, I enjoyed dining in a historic Parisian establishment, and look forward to returning.
Have you ever felt like you were in trouble for eating at a restaurant? Because that's pretty much how it felt eating here. My partner and I arrived in Paris pretty late and this place was open late. Very beautiful restaurant and they didn't seem overly crowded. They had seating right away. But that's about where the good stuff stops. The waiter was the rudest person I'd ever encountered. I'm American and my partner is British. But we are extremely respectful people. He started with "What do you want?" In the snarkiest tone. We ordered promptly. A few moments later the food came out and he practically threw it on the table. I wish I were exaggerating. Not even an "enjoy" or "here's your food" just toss it on the table and walk away. Once we were finished he walked by and rudely asked "Finished?" Which luckily I heard because it was practically under his breath. I understand that I'm in France, not America. But a little courtesy would have been appreciated. English may not be his first language and I understand that. But being friendly is universal. I hope this gets better.
Everything was delicious here, steak cokes perfectly, creamy peppercorn sauce outstanding, cod was a little underwhelming but the sauce and veg with it were great and overall it was a great dish. Service was great even though it was very busy. Profiteroles were perfect, nice fluffy crunch, creamy ice cream decadent chocolate sauce.
9 months ago
We ate here twice during our trip to Paris. It was always pretty busy but they got us in without reservations after a short wait. The first go, we had oysters, shrimp, langoustine (like baby lobster), escargot, dauphin gratin potatoes and the best sautéed green beans I've ever had. Menu is sizeable so we ordered very different things the second time. My friend had the brown crab, which was a lot of work. She was determined to get every last bite and cut her finger on the sharp shell. The server helped us with first aid supplies and she was as good as new. I'd been wanting to try pigs feet (de pied de cochon) and this was a minced version with lentils. Fantastic!! It went well with the salade frisée aux lardons. I've had the latter at home and abroad, and this was a great example. The lettuce was fresh and absorbed the dressing well but not too much. The restaurant is stunning but be prepared to sit shoulder to shoulder. We got lucky the second night and got a seat by the window without other diners so close. Hope to return someday! read more
Don't miss this spot... we basically stumbled upon it while in Paris ... definitely a highlight of this trip! The ambiance was perfect and felt a bit like stepping back in time, the quintessential Parisian brasserie experience. The service was on point and the food was fabulous. Highlights were the Soupe de Poissons, the expertly fileted sole meunière and the scallops. Great wine selection. I think next time in Paris I will go here at least 2x, once to try a seafood tower! read more
9 months ago
What a lovely first stop. Great location, friendly and helpful staff, good food, bread and wine! Really enjoyed taking in the city from a front and center patio spot. Waiter was so nice, too. read more
It was our first meal in Paris and if I am honest none of our Paris meals blew me away. The service was good, the waitress tried and we tried to communicate as she didnt really know English. Escargot in Paris is a lot different than at the Keg back home. I guess the greener the better and these were green so I assume good. I liked them but not what I expected. Steak was alright and the wine was decent but not mind blowing. Wifes meal was the same decent... the overall vibe is a 80s steak house. Overall it was an ok dinner read more
Last year we spent most of our time in the "city suburbs" of the 16th with many sleepy neighborhoods filled with delightful adventures. This year we are staying in the 15th near Pont de Bir-Hakeim, which provides delightful metro access to areas we wanted to explore; we had our first sunny Sunday after a few days of rain and Paris spring cold; with the sun out we took the metro to Montparnasse - to spend time with the artists of the early 20th century. Parisian wait staff here extraordinarily busy for a hustling Sunday morning, we walked in and said our "Bonjours!' and were asked how many and asked to wait just a moment. The place inside is luxurious - people we dressed quite well for a Sunday morning, as American Tourists we felt "slightly underdressed" but were able to fit in. The floor manager was attentive (and busy) and directed us to the front door where a man was ready to sit us in a fine outdoor spot facing the street on a perfect sprint morning! The table was already set for us with white tablecloths and silverware and menus and glasses. The menus opened like the daily news and had on-offer seafood, meats and other fine foods. The back featured drinks and exceptional wine selections. Our waiter greeted us and we ordered sparkling water and a nice Rose Cote du Provence. Perfect for a sunny Sunday morning. We started our people-watching and we delighted with how busy this corner was - lots of people coming and going in their Sunday finery. Our waiter returned and we ordered our first course; Onion Soups of course! Despite how busy they were the food arrived reasonably quickly. The soup quality was impeccable - every bite had just the right amount of cheese and onions. We ordered light salads for our mains, and a lovely Red wine that turned into a second bottle. The wine was recommended with our main course and paired particular well! Looking about we saw other folks here having light brunch, or light faire. Others indulging in amazing seafood courses. One older man sat near us, Hemingway beard and beret - taking notes and enjoying coffee. La Rotonde was notable as it helps dawn the Parisian Cafe culture - all was required was a cup of coffee and you could sit all day and enjoy. The original owner, noting the artist culture sweeping Paris, it was told would allow artists whom could not pay for a coffee "she would accept a drawing on the napkin" in return for their coffee. As the afternoon came into view and the sun began to set we ended our lunch with a recommended light wafer-like desert - amazing! Staff were busy but on-point; as an American remember to wait for them to see you and just raise a finger - they may not come straight away but they will nod and get to you after running through their backlog of service. Here they were all five gold stars - all perfect with respect to service, recommendations, food, wine parings, all good. The bill was on point for what we had. Thank you La Rotonde for a delightful Sunday afternoon for three weary Americans! read more
Were planning on going to Le Dome but had some amazing seafood for lunch at L'Avant Comptoir de la Mer so made an audible and crossed the street. Have been to La Coupole a few times and really enjoy it but my wife wanted to try another famous brasserie in Montparnasse. We got one of the last tables without a reservation when we arrived at 7:20 and had an absolutely splendid meal. Started with the frisée and lardon salad (basically a Lyonnaise salad) and the crab and avocado salad. Both were fantastic and I especially loved the 'guacamole' -- a real treat. For our mains we got the entrecôte and the steak tartare. The entrecôte was cooked to a perfect medium rare and the pommes dauphine alongside it were butter and rich and delicious. The steak tartare was a massive serving and seasoned perfectly (I also loved that they give Tabasco and a very strong mustard to ramp up the taste if you is desire. Service was polite and prompt and the interior is as nice as the other grand brasseries -- definitely worth a try (or in our case another visit) read more
This restaurant was great!! One of my best meals since landing in Europe. The steak was cooked to perfection, the au gratin was cooked perfectly and flavorful. I also LIVED for the red wine that they me! To Note, they gave complimentary bread and olives. I don't like olives but these were good. Everyone at my table enjoyed their food and I don't normally finish my food but I did here. The ambiance is unmatched and extremely high end. They have heaters outside for cold weather. Yes they check your COVID card/green pass. The service was good but it also depends on who you get... The price was not terrible it was $120 or so for 3 people and wine. I would come back. read more
9 months ago
1 year ago
Bohemian brasserie with rustic food, located closed to the Eiffel Tower! We made reservations here after research revealed this was frequented by Picasso and is still a popular spot for Parisian Intelligentsia. We started with the seafood platter. It varied from escargots to head-on shrimp. It was delicious! The escargot was plump and fresh, with a clean taste (we ordered the plain ones, not the ones cooked in garlic and butter to really taste the ingredient). The oysters and shrimp were fresh, sweet and juicy. My salmon was a larger portion than expected, which I shared with my dinner partner. While a little dry, it had beautiful grill marks, and was flaky in texture. The potatoes and broccoli were treated with respect to the ingredient; clean and served whole. We stayed for a while without feeling rushed by waitstaff, enjoying our meal and people-watching around us at the corner of the two boulevards. Overall, I enjoyed dining in a historic Parisian establishment, and look forward to returning. read more
1 year ago
Have you ever felt like you were in trouble for eating at a restaurant? Because that's pretty much how it felt eating here. My partner and I arrived in Paris pretty late and this place was open late. Very beautiful restaurant and they didn't seem overly crowded. They had seating right away. But that's about where the good stuff stops. The waiter was the rudest person I'd ever encountered. I'm American and my partner is British. But we are extremely respectful people. He started with "What do you want?" In the snarkiest tone. We ordered promptly. A few moments later the food came out and he practically threw it on the table. I wish I were exaggerating. Not even an "enjoy" or "here's your food" just toss it on the table and walk away. Once we were finished he walked by and rudely asked "Finished?" Which luckily I heard because it was practically under his breath. I understand that I'm in France, not America. But a little courtesy would have been appreciated. English may not be his first language and I understand that. But being friendly is universal. I hope this gets better. read more
2 years ago
4 years ago
Everything was delicious here, steak cokes perfectly, creamy peppercorn sauce outstanding, cod was a little underwhelming but the sauce and veg with it were great and overall it was a great dish. Service was great even though it was very busy. Profiteroles were perfect, nice fluffy crunch, creamy ice cream decadent chocolate sauce. read more
3 years ago
I really enjoyed this restaurant. Started with snails and pate which were delicious. We were brought a ton of bread and olives but at one point didnt have any side plates so felt like we made a mess with the bread. Ordered steak with bernaise and it came out more cooked than i would have liked but the potatoes were to die for. Service was wonderful and had the tarte tartin and lots of wine. Lovely ambiance for the evening! read more
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Disclaimer: This review spans over the course of 2 visits and starts off with a sob story before the actual food review begins. Enjoy. ----------------------------------------------- Sunday, May 13th I was really excited to try this famous café so, after an underwhelming evening at the Moulin Rouge, I headed over sometime around 11pm. I got a little lost on the way and made it in just before it was closing at midnight. For this reason, I expected the service to be curt and rushed. When I walked in, they said they only had a limited menu but other than that, were nice to me as they showed me to my table. I ordered a hot chocolate and began setting up for pictures. A tray arrived with a cup and 2 little pitchers, one filled with thick chocolate and the other with scalding hot milk. As soon as I raised it, I was startled by the burning sensation and before I knew it, there was milk everywhere. I was mortified and sure I would get cursed out by the waiters who were looking forward to wrapping things up for the night. However, my server was SUPER sweet (I didn't get his name!) and reassured me that everything was ok. He cleaned my table right away and came back with new pitchers for me. I was SO embarrassed and on the verge of tears so I just asked him for a croque monsieur "to go". He said I didn't have to leave and that it would be fine if I stayed but I told him I just wanted to go home. Then he asked, in a genuinely concerned voice, "Will you come back?" "Yes," I replied. "Will you come back tomorrow?" "Yes. Thank you." *sniff, sniff* ------------------------------------------------ Monday, May 14 So the next day, there I was. Sadly, my original server wasn't there but I sat at the same table by the window. Once again, I received exceptional service and had the best meal during my whole stay in Paris. Of course, I started with the hot chocolate (pouring it VERY carefully) and ordered grilled asparagus and smoked salmon. The asparagus had melted cheese on one end and prosciutto on the other, then drizzled with balsamic vinaigrette. It was beautiful and delicious. Usually, I don't care much for smoked salmon but the way it's served here makes it 100 X more amazing! It's so simple... lemon and crème fraiche. I was basically kissing my fork every time it left my mouth. My only regret about this place is not having been able to go back every single day. Needless to say, I loved it and I highly recommend it... Just be careful with the hot chocolate. read more
8 years ago
Came here back to back twice because everything from appetizers to desserts was exceptional can't find one thing to fuss about. If you are looking for good food, good atmosphere and good times you've come to the right place. Nothing else to add. read more
9 years ago
One of the best meals I have ever had! I liked it so much I came back today as well! The service is amazing and you can tell they really care about each patron who come and eats at this restaurant! I ate outside and they have nice heaters that provide lots of warmth! I had the French onion soup! The soup was amazing with lots of cheese and bread! Each bite was amazing and full of flavor! The second course I had was the snails! They come in there shells and are served warm with melted butter! First time having snails and I loved them! They tasted great and the sauce was great to dip bread in! For main course day 1 I had the steak with the red wine sauce! The steak was cooked perfectly and tasted amazing! Day two I had the sea bass which was great! (Tip you don't eat the skin on the sea bass). For desert I had the Creme brûlée! It was freaky and tasted great! By far one of the best meals I've ever had! I highly recommend the food and service!!! read more
9 years ago
I visited Paris for the first time in May with my boyfriend. He was on a business trip and brought me along (smart guy!). Paris was everything I thought it would be and more. In my extensive research of places to go, I happened to stumble across La Rotonde, not only because of its age and Hemingway mentions, but because it supposedly has the best steak tartare in Paris. Because our time was short, I booked only a few places and left the rest to chance. On our first full day in the city, we took a walk from our hotel down a random street and there was La Rotonde. Just begging for us to come in. It was the morning, we sat at an outside bistro table. We both ordered our espressos and I ordered a croissant as well. Croissants should only come from France. The end. We loved our time there. We ended back up there that night to sit outside amongst the rushes of people of Montparnasse and drink fabulous French wine. We realized this would be our spot. We ended up there each day of our trip, usually at the end of the night, wanting a night cap (bottle) of wine before heading back to the hotel. One of the days, I had to meet him for a reception and hadn't eaten all day. Before rushing back to the hotel, I stopped for some wine and the steak tartare. In America, steak tartare is an appetizer. In Paris, it's large enough to be a meal. I couldn't finish the whole thing but boy did I try! It has since ruined ALL steak tartare for me in America. Such a wonderful blend of spices, mustard and capers. When I returned to the hotel, I told my boyfriend it would be a crime for him to leave Paris without trying it. So the next day, I met him for a late lunch before his reception and we shared it. Now he understands. That was the only food we had at La Rotonde, but we shared a lot of wine and laughs. And we still talk about sitting out at that cafe to this day. The servers were friendly. It was filled with locals. We felt like we'd been going there for years. We know if we ever return to Paris, we will definitely be in walking distance of this fabulous place. read more
3 years ago
Wow, what a delicious meal and wonderful service! I understand this place attracts the tourists, but I don't care because I had the best time here. I went for the steak tartare and asked them to mix it rather than doing it myself. It was absolutely amazing. The fries that it came with were also perfectly done, and I'm not even a big fan of fries. I got the Napoleon for the dessert - it was amazing. (I also got creme brulee on a second visit, and it didn't disappoint, either.) In addition to the awesome food, I must say that the waiters were absolutely incredible. Everyone was so nice. My waiter was this very kind, friendly man who went out of his way to help me out. He made me feel very special, but I noticed him behaving this way towards everyone - he was just that nice and friendly! He made wine suggestions and (my favorite) took it upon himself to cut my Napoleon for me so that it would retain its shape while I was eating it. :) I can't say enough things about this place - definitely try it out if you're in the area, and come down here to try it out if you're not. read more
7 years ago
Very good but wished they had a lunch menu. I had onion soup and penne pasta. Very good food. Cool restaurant/ambience. read more
4 years ago
7 years ago
2015 trip to Paris with my husband and this restaurant is near our hotel. The place is beautiful and lovely and the food is excellent. We said we'll come back. read more
3 years ago
3 years ago
7 years ago
A reasonably priced typical French dinner that was delicious. The English menu was not much easier to interpret than the French version. I ordered the dinner special, appetizer, main course and dessert. The pan fried laborie pig's trotter was similar to hash browns in texture. The old style veal blanquette stew was mildly flavored pieces of tender break veal and shallots in a butter cream base. I finished the meal with the Baba au vieux rhum. It was an eclair like pasterie soaked in Martinique rum. It was a very strong flavored rum that over powered the pastry. read more
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More info about La Rotonde
105 boulevard du Montparnasse
75006 Paris
France
Montparnasse, 6ème
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01 43 26 48 26
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