Le Calife

The most life- changing experience with French cuisine. This is what French culinary dreams are…read moremade of. Get the appetizer grilled foie gras with side of greens, you won't regret it. The richness of the flavor and the texture which is not reminiscent of the traditional roasted duck or foie gras, but rather a much more like a luxurious and indulgent version. We enjoyed our dinner on the outside of the restaurant after about a 20-30 minute wait. The bone marrow had the best flavor I've experienced for the dish. However, it is definitely overshadowed by the rich flavor of the foie gras. This experience was unforgettable, with our view of Parisian streets on a brisk, April night. We even came back on our last night, but didn't realize the hours on Google maps was for the deli. The restaurant closes earlier, before 9:00 PM. This meal got us thinking about Paris in a positive light, and we hope to be able to come back to eat the amazing dishes again!

This place was a huge letdown. They had a cute little artisanal market on the front left of the…read morerestaurant. They had a number of goods to choose from and I ended up buying a few things for souvenirs. As for the actual restaurant, they had a number of delicious sounding items on their menu. Our server was very attentive to us and helped us decide on our dinner orders. Similar to the other restaurants though. After our food was delivered, it was far in between when we were checked on again. And after dessert it took even longer for our server to bring the bill. Overall, the food was a letdown. I do not exaggerate when I say that the frog legs just tasted like slightly flavored water. My friend's ravioli had a fairly decent flavored sauce but the pasta was a bit chewy. My friend's duck breast was pretty tough; I had noticed the table next to us also ordered it and they seemed to have trouble finishing/cutting theirs as well. As for my steak with foie gras, well the steak was once again tough and the foie gras was weirdly stringy. It was soft for the most part but there were parts that were tough and stringy. Maybe that's a section that's generally separated in the preparation process and it was missed? In any case it was disappointing. What wasn't disappointing was dessert though; perfectly sweet and balanced.

2.8 km•Gare du Nord/La Chapelle, Strasbourg-St Denis/Bonne Nouvelle, 10ème

He said was very good

See all

French onion soup + bread

Brasserie Bellanger

4.7(89 reviews)

Delightful. Fantastic. Seriously, upsettingly good -- because I wish I could eat somewhere like…read morethis every day and sadly can't because Paris is a flight away. That said..,it's only one flight and I'd fly back in a heartbeat for their fries and tartare. Can't wait to come back! Merci beaucoup pour wonderful time and a meal I'll never forget!

Had dinner here this evening after scoring a last minute reservation for four. Seated quickly after…read morearrival at 1900, with our server greeting us shortly thereafter. The restaurant itself isn't small, but really not big, so it's definitely worthwhile to make a reservation at least a week or so on advance, otherwise you're pushing your luck. Everyone ordered steak frites (2 rump steak, 2 flank) and no one was disappointed. Steaks were cooked to order, although medium here in France is more like medium rare in the States, just be advised. The restaurant itself is lively and fun with lots of chatting, laughing and good times being shared. Desserts were Crème Brûlée and Apple Crumble, neither of which were disappointing. We definitely enjoyed our dinner and would likely return again. This time with a reservation made well in advance.

0.7 km•Saint-Michel/Odéon, 6ème

Kitchen

Water jar, salt & pepper

See all

Une parfaite latte (OK it was a cappuccino but still gorgeous)

Bistro des Augustins

4.4(556 reviews)

I have mixed feelings about Bistro des Augustins. On the one hand, it provided me some of the most…read morecomforting and delicious food that I enjoyed in Paris. On the other hand, it made me realize that my mother was a terrible cook. Bistro des Augustins is a small, cozy venue offering both indoor seating and terrace seating near Pont Neuf. It serves a small number of curated dishes, including a wonderfully traditional Bistro Gratin in a homey ceramic dish served piping hot with a brown crispy cheesy top, herbs, spices and chicken. You can also get it with salmon. My brothers and I only saw my mother use our gas range to light her cigarettes, sanitize needles to remove our splinters, and make s'mores during the summer months when she couldn't muster the energy to take us 'outside camping.' I mean, all she had to do was borrow a cookbook, which I'm sure were readily available from maybe a neighbor or in any local bookstore or the public library. How hard is that? I was the only kid who brought a can of tuna and his own monogrammed can opener to school every day. Every day. And mom convinced me that the tuna holster she got me for my birthday was cool and hip. I was a naive mercury-filled fool, although I did become a very fast runner in junior high school because of the tuna holster. The interior décor of Bistro des Augustins is informal and vintage bistro style - wooden tables, traditional chalkboard menus, and soft lighting - creating a relaxed and comfy ambiance. My eyes have been opened to what's possible. Thank you Bistro des Augustins for expanding my culinary horizons. Five stars.

THE FOOD ------------------…read more= Fermier - Cheese gratin with chicken was good. Didn't blow me away, but was solid with the creaminess of the sliced potatoes and emmental cheese combined together with mixed vegetables. The cheese was very strong though, so anything else was unfortunately pretty much overpowered by it. Arrived with bread, but it DEFINITELY could use other carb options to sop it all up (e.g., rice???)! = Landais - Cheese gratin with duck. Same comment as the above, except the Landais had egg and goat cheese also mixed in with almost the same ingredients as the Fermier. THE SERVICE ----------------------- + The lone waitress, who also worked the role as greeter, cashier and bartender was friendly. + Food arrived within 10 minutes of ordering. THE SURROUNDINGS ------------------------------------ = Small, tight restaurant. = Not many tables inside - 6 in total. + Located a few blocks away from the more touristy restaurants, towards the East, on a much quieter street. RANDOM OBSERVATIONS -------------------------------------- = Nada.

2.4 km•Bastille, Marais, 3ème

Inside

Assiette de saumon fumé

See all

Inside

Chez Janou

4.1(699 reviews)

My #1 fav classic French dinner we had in Paris. The food and the atmosphere were all great. This…read moreplace seems to be a certified, capital 'e' Establishment here in Paris. Vibey 30 somethings and those of us tourists that have begrudgingly figured it out. It is close quarters inside, but when in Rome. My bestie from middle school and I shared the escargot (bless you) pasta, which was delicious, and the duck, which was exceptional. We split a very fairly priced bottle of wine and ended the night with the scoop of mousse. If they could figure out how to do that intravenously, that'd be great. The mousse reminded me of a great guilty pleasure, which is eating straight out of the can of Duncan Hines chocolate frosting (ask me how I know, I do this often, going to rebrand it to me being European). Loved it here.

Paris has a talent for making lunch feel accidental in the best possible way…read more Chez Janou sits quietly in the Marais, just close enough to Place des Vosges that the entire experience spills naturally into wandering afterward. No real plans. Just walking. Cigarette smoke in the air, scooters passing narrow streets, old stone buildings glowing under soft afternoon light. Online, this place feels impossible to book. But show up 10-15 minutes before opening and suddenly you're seated like you knew the secret all along. Inside, the room hums. Tight tables. Warm walls. Loud enough to feel alive without becoming chaotic. Nobody rushing. Nobody flipping tables. Just the rhythm of Paris doing what it's always done. The menu is entirely in French which, honestly, makes the experience better. You stop ordering with certainty and start ordering with curiosity. My wife had the risotto d'épeautre aux St. Jacques. I ordered the Magret de Canard au Romarin. The duck was solid. A 3.5/5 kind of dish. Rich, savory, comforting after a long day walking through the city. But the risotto surprised me more. The scallops were delicate, the spelt added this earthy texture that made the dish feel substantial without ever becoming heavy. And then there's the mousse au chocolat. The famous one. Served from an oversized bowl with this almost excessive "all you can eat" energy that somehow still feels elegant instead of gimmicky. We only needed a few bites. Soft, luxurious, lightly bitter chocolate balanced perfectly against just enough sweetness. The kind of dessert that doesn't ask for attention. It quietly earns it.

0.5 km•Saint-Michel/Odéon, Saint-Germain-Des-Prés, 6ème

Bar vibe

Bread with Chocolate Mousse

See all

Ratatouille

Chez Fernand

4.4(294 reviews)

Food is awesome, love their signature beef dish, too bad our stomach is too small, food is very…read moregood, service is good too ~ love this place!

Maybe my timing was off? I didn't enjoy dining here as much as I hoped…read more I reserved and had New Year's Eve dinner at Chez Ferdinand Christine. I could only get the 8:30pm seating. When I arrived, there was a rustic table in the entry room where I was seated. I ordered an entrée of mini mushroom raviolis in truffle sauce, a plat of scallops over orzo which had chorizo chunks and a dessert of frozen Grand Marnier soufflé. The portions were generous. I enjoyed the mini mushroom raviolis and delicious Grand Marnier soufflé. The plat was somewhat odd because the chorizo chunks were really strong flavored which overpowered the scallops. I ate one chorizo chunk and pushed the rest aside. The scallops were cooked perfectly but not seasoned. The service was gruff/quite brief with dishes dropped by assistants. My biggest complaint was the stressful ambiance during the meal. It was freezing outside. The door constantly opened and new patrons came in hovering over diners in my room. Luckily I was not closer to the door and didn't have anyone over me. For ~170 Euros, the food was good but the experience was not.

1.1 km•Concorde/Madeleine, 1er

Interior

Le légendaire bœuf Bourguignon aux joues de bœuf Black Angus, pommes vapeur.

See all

Beef bourguignon

Le Soufflé

4.3(381 reviews)

The restaurant is wonderful and very nice to our group when we visited. Always go there when we…read moreare in Paris.

It is somewhat cliche but I love Le Souffle. It is always consistently good. These are hearty rich…read moresouffles not the light as air ones Their cheese souffle and foie souffles are amazing. Don't pass up on their dessert ones as well... the chocolate and Grand Marnier are both excellent

1.1 km•Saint-Michel/Odéon, 5ème

Philip'

Cheese soufflé + chicken & mushroom sauce

See all

Goat cheese souffle

Le Corner Saint Germain

4.5(61 reviews)

Great find, walking by for a late night meal after arriving at our hotel Saturday night. We have…read morethe scallop risotto, burger, filet, crème brûlée and ice cream. Everything was good and the service was better. Friendly & willing to offer great recommendations They spoke English which helped us too.

Not sure why they had such great reviews. The food was ok. Our onion soup had no cheese on it. Had…read moreto ask for it so he gave a bowl on shredded cheese. The server was demanding more tips (since he knew we were Americans and tipping is our culture) we had already given him over 10%! Stay away! I wouldn't go back since there is so many restaurants in the area to choose from!

0.6 km•Saint-Michel/Odéon, Saint-Germain-Des-Prés, 6ème

Onion soup

See all

The view from our table.

La Jacobine

4.5(419 reviews)

One of our favorite meals in Paris for a family summer holiday in Europe! Lunch with a group of 8…read morebefore an afternoon tour at the Louvre. Give yourself adequate time to enjoy the experience - it's not to be rushed. Perfect ambiance, food was simple and superbly prepared. Even the hardest to please in our group have fond memories of this meal. Highly recommend.

My favorite dinner I had on my trip to paris. I tried escargot for the first time and the waiter…read morenicely showed me how to eat it. Did have a weird issue with unable to find a booking email a month later and I heard another customer have a similar issue

2.3 km•Bastille, 4ème, Marais

The interior and the 2 very attentive and helpful severs

Escargot

See all

The entrance to the passage from Rue André des Arts (6eme arr) 11/1/23

Le Temps des Cerises

4.4(397 reviews)

Great food on a quiet street in Paris. Seating inside for maybe a dozen people make a reservation…read morebefore going. I had the tuna tartare served with over a bit of perfectly ripe avocado. Roasted pork cooked sous vide with roasted carrots was absolutely delicious. Beautiful dessert with coconut, mousse, and passionfruit and mango. Everything impeccable.

This is a gem of a little bistrot in Le Marais. Cozy, intimate, and delicious food. We had the most…read morelovely time here. Felt like we were dining in a friend's apartment

The bar... good selection of wine & beer.

Prime rib was yummy but more of a rib eye steak where I am from.

See all

Dining area, it's not big, rather small but adequate

Le Potager du Père Thierry

4.6(505 reviews)

2.9 km•Montmartre, 18ème

This is the kind of place that you should be searching for when you come to Paris. Small and…read moreintimate, with well executed dishes and exceptional service. These smaller bistro type eateries are the lifeblood of the local cuisine. They consistently offer reasonably priced dishes that are full of flavor and technique. The wine and drink options are well catered to the menu and they provide options for most price points. The service we experienced was exactly what you want... our server had plenty of suggestions based on the offerings of the day. The service was attentive and responsive... not much more than you could ask for. I had the duck breast being offered... it was served alongside crispy potatoes, green beans, and a salad. Adding in the onion soup and a glass of wine... it quickly became a King's dinner at a very reasonable price. I would be more than happy to eat here again and look forward to exploring the rest of the menu offering many local and classic French options.

I was there in 2021 and the food was very good, though the salad stuff on the main course was…read moresuperfluous, if they still serve that way. However, the eggs cocotte with foie gras was divine! This fall (2026), I shall return to Paris and that dish is on my hit list for sure. In fact, I may order 2! Service was very personable. Small place but the largest table had 6 locals who livened up the joint. Americans planning to be in Paris Sept 28-30 hit me up we'll meet for din din. Zig