Funny story... We googled best châteaubriand in Paris because we wanted to try it... In Paris. Le Châteaubriand came up, and it had good (Google) reviews (should've checked yelp!) so we booked it thinking " this is going to be good." I will admit that I thought the name sounded a bit cheesy... A little too obvious. I didn't really expect things to go well. We get there and they tell us that they have a prix fixe menu and they like to keep it a secret and that we could also add a wine pairing. Ok. Cool. Then they brought us dish after dish of fish. Cool. I like fish. They must be building up the suspense for the steak Nope The reddest the meat got was pigeon. And the wine was not amazing, but it was mostly white... and I think there may have even been an orange wine in there. Come on. It's FRANCE! To be fair, the food they did serve us was pretty darn good. Imagine really wanting chicken soup so you choose the Chicken Soup House, but when you get there, they have a secret menu and then they bring you lentil soup and beef stew. Kinda weird. Kinda funny. Kinda memorable. I would recommend this place, but not if you want steak. There are sooooo many other great restaurants in Paris though. read more

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Le Châteaubriand -- A Major Letdown We came to Le Châteaubriand full of excitement and left feeling incredibly disappointed. For context, we're a couple who loves fine dining and trying new flavors, so we were really looking forward to this experience. The evening started off on a good note: the staff was friendly and seated us right away. Unfortunately, that's where the positives end. The waiter explained the tasting menu, and we opted for the wine pairing. The first dish--cheese puffs--was fine, but nothing memorable or exciting. That trend continued throughout the night. A ceviche you drink, something fried, then more and more courses that were completely forgettable. The main meat course was chicken, which again was just... fine. Nothing creative, nothing bold. It felt like the chef was burnt out and uninspired. Honestly, it didn't even seem like he tasted his own food. Front of house wasn't much better. It felt disorganized, with different servers coming to our table throughout the night. They seemed rushed, distracted, and frankly like they didn't care. Normally that wouldn't be a dealbreaker, but for a restaurant of this supposed caliber, it was disappointing. The wine pairing? Also fine. Nothing bad, but nothing exciting either. Honestly, we had a €7 bottle from a local grocery store that was more enjoyable. And then the strangest part--mid-dinner, a man from the street (clearly not part of the official staff) walked around the restaurant trying to sell roses, like we were at a beach bar in Cancun. The staff said nothing. At the end of the meal, they even suggested we leave a tip, which no other restaurant we've dined at in Paris has done, and seemed overly pushy. As a side note, they also did not take American Express. To anyone considering this restaurant: skip it. Don't waste your money on a place where the chef seems checked out and the staff isn't invested. There are too many amazing restaurants in Paris--this isn't one of them. read more

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Best meal of our trip! Service, food, and drink were all excellent. It is a more casual restaurant, which was nice, but still formal enough. We got the wine pairings, which were great and included a cider, raspberry infused beer, and several wines. Food was excellent. Creative but still French and everything was delicious. Staff was very friendly and helpful in answering questions and helping to make it a special evening. Menus change so what you have will probably differ, but will probably be excellent! read more

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We had dinner here as a group of four on a Wednesday night. We were seated promptly upon arrival and when our server took our drink order they also asked if we had any dietary restrictions or dislikes. Two people in our group (including myself) went straight vegetarian and one person prefers not to eat any seafood. They were incredibly accommodating and had no issues with the requests. The dinner service has no menu and most closely resembles a tasting course meal but felt more laid back and casual. One of our dining companions chose to do the wine pairings while the rest of us opted not to. They did not have cocktails on the menu but they had a limited selection of spirits and were able to make simple drinks like gin & tonic and tequila & soda. The dishes came out at a nice pace and each one was as good as the last. Collectively our favorite dish was probably the white bean soup, it was simple but insanely good! I was very excited to try the preserved egg yolk dessert as that seems to be a staple on their ever changing menu. It was super interesting and should definitely be taken in one bite. Loved the casual cozy feel of this restaurant and would be more than happy to come back! read more

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This is by far my most favourite restaurant in the entire world. French cuisine is my absolute favourite because it's so classical and technical. 75 euro for this 10 course tasting menu is extremely reasonable in Paris and for this type of meal I would pay double that. You can decide for the servers to describe each menu item or enjoy your time with your fellow patron and have a surprise for your guessing palate. I decided to go with the surprise route and then after I guessed, I'd have the server describe the item which added another element to this phenomenal once in a lifetime dining experience. This tasting menu balances fish, meat, poultry and vegetables in all of their glory. Their products are beyond fresh and all cooked to perfection. My absolute favourite part of this 10 course meal is their dessert portion which is a surprise to all patrons and I'm sorry for ruining the surprise but it is just too good! It's a caramelized egg yolk on top a biscuit and jam like type of "bed". This item is meant to be consumed in one bite with the yolk bursting in your mouth. You'd think raw egg yolk with sweets isn't something you'd be willing to try but you definitely won't regret it. It's truly pleasurable for the tastebuds. Make sure to reserve your spot at Le Chateaubriand and be ready for the dining experience of your life. read more

Le Chateaubriand - Their infamous surprise dessert - French Near Me - Paris, 75

Wonderful service ... exciting to see what your next tasting will be ... highly recommend if your into surprises read more

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This is my second time here and I am wildly disappointed compared to the last time I was here. The service has gone down. We felt rushed the entire time. We asked for a bottle of wine that was a Syrah forward GSM and they 1) brought us one that was Grenache forward so not what we asked for and 2) brought a wine that wasn't even on the menu and $10 more than the most expensive bottle. There are plenty of other tourists here so I don't know why they felt they needed to swindle us. The lights were also super bright so it was kind of weird for a multi course dinner. Most of the food was good but nothing blew me away. There was only 1 meat item on the menu which seemed odd as we did not ask for vegetarian or pescatarian. The quality and service just did not live up to what we experienced in 2018. I am only giving this 3 vs 2 bc the food wasn't bad. read more

A really fabulous tasting menu and a wine pairing that elevated the entire experience. One of my the best meals I've ever had in Paris. I loved the old fashioned bistro vibes and the leisurely service- for a 7:30 reservation, we weren't out until 11:15! Truly not a bad bite in the bunch. I'm still dreaming about the oysters and asparagus risotto and the Tigre de leche shot. read more

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Dinner for 2. - Ambiance (4/5) Cozy and modern, but nothing particularly special or remarkable. Very casual dining for sure. - Service (5/5) Fast service. Dishes came flying out one after another. Each dish was carefully explained. All servers spoke English. - Bread (5/5) Remember that scene in Ratatouille when Colette explains to Linguini that great bread has that symphonic crackling sound? That was this bread. Warm and thick in the middle with delightfully crackling, crunchy crust. - Prix Fixe €70pp - Cheese Puff, amuse (4/5) A but one note but very rich oozing cheese on the inside with very delicate pastry. - Raspberry Fish Ceviche, amuse (5/5) Very nice "shooter" size. The color lent by the raspberry was beautiful. The fish was completely hidden from view and kind of surprised me at the end of the shot. Very strong acid pops. - Fried Shrimp, Strawberry Powder, amuse (5/5) Not visually pleasing to look at. But crunchy and tasted of the sea. The strawberry powder did nothing for me (could barely taste it). - Pappa al Pomodoro, amuse (2/5) The tiny tomatoes were cute but the dish was one note sour. - Fennel and Passionfruit Soup, amuse (3/5) The base of the soup was rich and heart- the kind of nourishing taste you'd expect out of a French country kitchen. Then there was this annoying distraction of a passionfruit flavor and passionfruit seeds. A bit too creative for me and not at all complementary. - Basque Squid, Peas (3/5) Squid itself was nicely cooked but was disappointed by the lack of flavor development in the peas. The broth it came in could've also elevated the dish but it didn't have any distinctive flavor at all. - Monkfish, Artichoke, Fried Sage (3/5) Monkfish was cooked beautifully though barely seasoned. The dish was also served with a soft mozzarella like cheese. Usually fish and cheese don't go together and tonight was no exception. Bizarre choice. Same issues with the broth here. The fried sage was a revelation though. - Goose, Green Beans, Truffles (3/5) Goose was prepared very well though unevenly seasoned. Something odd happened to the truffles between shaving and plating as the fragrance seemed to completely disappear. - Cherry Ice Cream (4/5) Good cherry flavor and velvety texture achieved. Putted cherry halves were also a good choice, though the dish craved texture. - Candied Yolk, Coconut Meringue, Caramel (5/5) Easily the best dish of the night. Creative and also mysterious as it was the only dish purposely not given a description before eating. It was suggested that we eat it in one bite and I could see why as the candied yolk popped and all the flavors in the dessert flooded together into one harmonious note. Great end to the meal! - Strawberry, Mint Candies, Cumin (4/5) Really sweet, petite strawberries augmented by a kind of minty Nerds like candy and middle eastern flavors. Intriguing. - Value (3/5) Some of the amuses were bigger than one bite so we started veering into appetizer territory. This means that the 5 course prix fixe actually had closer to 7 courses. So that helped the value. However very few of the dishes actually stood out so I felt he €70 price tag ended up being a bit steep. - Final Word The meal started strong albeit not unique. The middle and most important part (the main dishes) all kind of fell flat for me. So even with the strong pickup at the end, I left feeling like I had just eaten at an average restaurant. read more

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Le Chateaubriand came at the recommendation from a friend who had visited before and I'm so glad I took her advice. Le Chateaubriand is truly one of the best dining experiences I have had in a long time. Their synchronized service, casual ambiance and unforgettable food are a testament to contemporary Parisian cooking. Yelp, please add a 6th star for this place. Our reservation was a last minute and done over the phone. They do have an online system, but it's confusing and not to user friendly, so make an old fashioned phone call. We sat at the bar, and I'm usually against this, but, to see the entire staff working throughout the meal was fantastic. All of them are experts in fine dining. During our 10 courses we got to experience true contemporary Parisian dining with a few twists and turn. The stand out for me was their squid, complete with ink sauce and their baby dessert at the end. Both were cooked perfectly and had incredible flavors, especially the dessert. It appears as if it's a macaron with cream, but inside is a little egg surprise! We also, in true form, opted into their wine pairing, trying SO. MANY. WINES! If you're in Paris at any time, visit Le Chateaubriand. You won't be disappointed in the slightest. read more

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Chef Inaki's hyped up 1-star restaurant is an an old bistrot in the 11th district of Paris. The DNA of the decor of the old restaurant remains in place. Tasting menu is diverse and changes according to the season. Tip : opt for a bottle of wine instead of the the wine pairing, less pricey. read more

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While searching for best set menus under €100, Le Chateaubriand had appeared on several food blogs and dining lists. After failing to score a reservation at Septime, which was higher ranked and had better reviews, we decided to reserve Le Chateaubriand. At ~€75 euro a person, the meal wasn't overly expensive for a 10ish course dinner, but definitely didn't live up to our expectations. As with all prix fixe menu, your dinner is set by the chef, and the menu changes based on available ingredients. There was certainly a sense of playfulness and experimentation with the taste and texture of ingredients, but I wouldn't say I loved anything in particular. Our meal progressed from amuse bouche to appetizer to main course to dessert, each plated and served in a striking way but lacking harmonious textures and flavors. For instance, I liked the idea of serving ravioli with bits of passionfruit, but the result was too acidic (and paled in comparison to a foie gras ravioli served at Astrance). The entire affair was much faster than some of our other meals; even with seven courses, we were in and out of the restaurant in 1.5 hours. That's not bad; instead, it serves as a testimony to the efficiency of the kitchen. The restaurant undoubtedly has a nice ambiance, with tiled floors, dark wood furniture, and simple cream-colored walls. And, it wasn't difficult to nab a reservation at the restaurant, especially since we planned to eat early (as Americans do). The staff spoke English and accommodated my peanut allergy nicely. If this had been our last meal in Paris, then I probably would have been disappointed. It certainly wasn't bad, but I'd have a hard time recommending this restaurant to others when there are so many other interesting, exciting restaurants in the city. read more

This restaurant was likely the highlight of my most recent europe trip (london/paris/barcelona). Unfortunately, did not get a table at Tickets in Barcelona, or that might have won the prize, but this time it was definitely Le Chateaubriand. very casual ambience, but with 3 michelin starred quality (without the michelin star pretentiousness or prices). the food was inspired and innovative. Many try-hard michelin starred restaurants sacrifice taste for interestingness, but not so here. the food is both adventurous and delicious. this is the crown jewel of Paris' increasingly stodgy dining scene. a must-try. read more

This was the best meal of our trip and possibly of my life. Granted, this was my first time having a French tasting menu. Le Chateaubriand has all of the finesse of a fine French restaurant with none of the pomp - casual attire is fine here. The ambiance is clean and nothing remarkable, but that can be a good thing. First of all, the menu is different every night - you get some number of appetizers, entrees, desserts, and a secret dessert. Look at all the pictures attached for our dinner. Personally, the flight of wines wasn't worth it since it doubles the price of the menu, but the food was spectacular! Dinner took about two hours, so they roughly gave us 10 minutes each plate to enjoy and savor. While most of the plates look small-ish, after 11 dishes, you get quite full. The staff is super friendly and willing to help with whatever they can. For instance, I have an egg white and whitefish allergy (among others, but those are the ones that mattered). On my reservation, I listed this, and our hostess knew this before I had to ask. She sits down with you and goes over the menu if you wish - I wanted it a secret, but for the sake of my allergies they had to tell me. In the case when I had options for substitutions, I was given the choice of a protein or a vegetarian dish of comparable level - I had duck instead of sea bass for instance. (In this case, since my wife got the non-altered menu, we got to try even more items!). Fabulous meal, will go back. Definitely earns its regard as one of the top restaurants of the world (San Pellegrino list), and its one Michelin star (though if this were in the US, it'd probably be 2 or 3 stars.. but it's Paris where they have so many restaurants with stars). read more

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Le Chateaubriand is probably my favorite place to visit in Paris. I visited with my parents and my best friend and we had an amazing time! We enjoyed the chefs choice which was small 10 courses complete with creative dishes. The sommeliers and waiters were delightful to talk to and not only friendly but happily conversed with us. It was a great experience and on my next visit Le Chateaubriand is definitely on my list! read more

Le Chateaubriand - This was the 6th course I believe; cuttlefish with jardiniere and the throat of the pig. Amazing! - French Near Me - Paris, 75

I would not recommend this restaurant to friends and families who comes to Paris. We booked this dinner thinking it would be great way to taste French cuisine. It did not live up to expectations. Luckily it was not too expensive at $80/person. All the dishes except the desserts were a bust. Most were overly seasoned or not seasoned enough. The wait staff were all over the place Nd did not provide much of a personal experience. read more

Anthony Bourdain Approved & 5 Solid Stars from this Yelper! We arrived at 7:30 sharp for our reservation. We were kindly offered a selection of choices for our seating. We decided on the seats by the window. Our host then sat down with us and discussed the philosophy of the restaurant. It was then we were told about the set menu, which we had no problem with and decided to be surprised by the chef's creative mind. We were started with warm black sesame cheese puffs that were light airy and fragrant. Each bite size mouthful was an aromatic treat. The cheese filled puffs were quickly devoured by our group of three, seconds please! The next dish was a ceviche shot that was small but vibrant and refreshing! There was a surprise scallop at the bottom which was a treat! The next dish was a play on the traditional salt & pepper shrimp that we most have come to love from most Chinese restaurants with a bright citrusy note at the end. These were perfectly bite sized and I had no problem eating the entire shrimp head and all! Tasty, great texture and a pleasure to munch on! Monkfish liver Velvety smooth like foie gras and not fishy at all, like I expected. Perhaps the paired thin nectarine slices and purple spinach helped with balancing the flavor profiles, as well. The duck broth with corn was warm, comforting and exhibited an earthy rustic flavor that I liked to savor after each spoonful. The crunchiness added a pleasant contrast in texture to this pleasing dish. The next dish was a clam mushroom dish in a warm green frothy spinach purée. Very inviting on the eyes, i pondered how it woukd acrially taste! Thankfully, the flavors were subtle yet very satisfying. The next course was a fish course served with lightly fried basil mashed potatoes sautéed red onions and crisp pomme De terre chips The combination was magnificent and the flavors all worked together beautifully. The following dish was easily my favorite. A pork dish with melon slices stewed tomatoes and fresh herbs. The tomatoes were extremely juicy and sweet and added just the right amount of bright acidity to the dish. The melons added the sweetness and the herbs added texture and contrasting flavors to this successful dish. Dessert Avocado sorbet with herbs granité. Cool refreshing and a sheer pleasure! The most memorable dish had to be the egg tart shot I was presented with at the very end. Wow, words can not describe the explosive experience in my mouth with this insanely delicious and incentive dish. Whimsical fun and delightful! Loved it! We were given a plate of sweetened strawberries to end our meal and we all left grinning from ear to ear. It was a truly memorable and enjoyable experience I'd gladly experience again and again! FYI For the reviewers that said everyone was non French speaking, that couldn't be farther from the truth. Practically everyone around me spoke fluent French, and they looked like locals. To be frank, this is not a michelin restaurant. It never claims to be one. And I'm glad it's not. If you're looking for white table cloths and waiters serving your every beck and call, this restaurant is not for you. If you're looking for casual cool dining experience with an creative menu that's exciting & refreshing, then give Le Chateaubriand a try. I went to a number of Michelin starred restaurants and although they are wonderful, I chose Le Chateubriand because of Chef Inaki Aizpitarte's creative nature, esteemed culinary reputation and of course, it came highly recommended by Anthony Bourdain. Lets face it, a restaurant doesn't make the top 20 restaurants in the world for no reason. Throughout the evening, i saw a number of parties turned away from a table even though there were some vacant seats. its a testament to the high demand for a dining experience here. Those are the facts, now you can make your choice. Happy Eats! read more

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I honestly don't understand why this place has such good reviews and such hype. This place is BAD! There are so many amazing places to eat in Paris- this is not one if them. I unfortunately ignored the advice of my friend who went here two years ago and said the food was flavorless - it hasn't changed. We started off with cheese puffs, reminiscent of your local fogo de chao. They were OK, 2.5/5. Next course was a ceviche shot which was surprisingly great! 5/5. The following courses were all bland and forgettable. I'm writing this review in the restaurant and can't even remember what I ate - something with fried shrimp, something with tuna, something with chicken. The service was also really terrible, it took over three hours to get served. One waiter was so high he couldn't remember what the dishes he was serving to us. Another spilled a dish on me (note my star rating would still be 2/5 regardless of the spill. I was luckily wearing all black!) AVOID!!!! read more

If you are lucky enough to score a reservation here, you will have a wonderful evening! The menu changes daily so I cannot recommend a specific dish. It is a set price for each guest. What I can tell you is that they were very kind and explained each dish thoroughly. Anthony Bourdain recommended visiting here during one of his shows filmed in Paris. Be open to try anything. The food is fantastic!! Highly recommend. read more

Full review in the blog, highlights below: My mother always told me to avoid judging a book by its cover but I'm not going to lie, when we first walked up to Le Chateaubriand my first thought was "is this the right place?" Ranked by S. Pellegrino as the 11th best restaurant in the world (since upgraded to 9th in 2011) and helmed by self trained "vagabond" chef Inaki Aizpitarte the small former grocery turned bistro in the 11th is anything but ostentatious-as a matter of fact to the layperson it looks every bit as common as hundreds of other bistros in Paris. Greeted in excellent English by a young roguish looking man who would turn out to be our server we were welcomed and told to "pick anywhere you like" - for myself the table looking directly into the kitchen was an obvious choice and as such my sister was given a view of the entirety of a dining room that would fill to capacity spilling into the street within a half hour. With the day's menu presented and Okayed we were asked if we had any dietary restrictions and after denying any such issues the meal would begin within minutes. Moving on with the flurry of small plates our third dish would arrive mere seconds on the tail of the first - this time a grilled bone-in anchovy topped with dried pomegranate-simple, sweet and salty-I have to admit I liked it much more than I expected I would and so did Erika. For the next dish we would receive a dish that could have easily served as a legitimate course at some of the other restaurants we dined at during our visit-a salad of Golden Beets, Olives, Sea Urchin, Radish and Sea Lettuce adorned with a light vinaigrette. With the beets earthy and sweet, the olives and urchin briny, and the radish lending it's characteristic peppery finish to the party I really liked this dish-a simple arrangement of excellent products that all worked together to a nice effect. For our first menu course of the evening we would again see a seasonal ingredient that featured prominently throughout our travels - asparagus. Typically one of my very favorite vegetables, Inaki's version that evening consisted of a quartered White Asparagus resting in a pool of Smoked unpasteurized Sheep's Milk and Olive Oil topped with Parmesan, "Lemon caviar" and Diced Turnips. Pungent and aromatic even at a distance the dish was dazzling-so much so that I actually dug in before snapping a picture. Smoky and pungent, sour yet briny - and everything anchored by the lovely asparagus...a mélange of flavors with each identifiable but none overwhelming-a flawless dish that I'll remember for a long time to come. Moving rapidly from vegetable to fish our second course would be nearly as successful as the first in part because it featured my very favorite fish, but also because it arrived paired with another melody of flawless vegetables and an intense yet complementary sauce. Described simply as Saint-Pierre with Pork Jus and Carrots the simplicity of the description undersold the variety of the ingredients and intensity of the flavors as the plate presented no less than five types of carrots each at varying degrees of cooking, a perfect slice of John Dory with crispy skin, and a salty pork reduction that brought everything to sharp focus. Following the orange my second dessert was presented as "different types of chocolate" and celery root ice cream. Served in a white bowl and with at least 5 textural variations of chocolate ranging from cocoa powder to a thick ganache plus shards of paper thin milk chocolate and a ground bar that may very well have been 100% cocoa the dish was certainly chocolate and certainly complex-however what made it delicious was the ice cream-a flavor that on its own was actually overpowering, yet when blended with the chocolate provided a bitter and spicy yet peculiarly sweet and creamy foil that made every flavor seem more vibrant-more different from the others. With the hour drawing close to 10:30 and a line growing into the street I was surprised again that there was no pressure to leave even after we declined coffee-as a matter of fact, even after we asked for the bill it took a good fifteen minutes for the even 100€ check to arrive. Bid farewell by our server and navigating the crowd it was only when we got outside that we realized exactly how big the line was. Of course with any reservation as difficult to secure and any restaurant as highly regarded as Le Chateaubriand the question becomes "does it live up to the hype?"-a difficult question under any circumstance, but even more so after a single visit considering what Aizpitarte is doing; fundamentally recreating a high-concept menu each and every night in a city where all the "best" restaurants generally serve the same consistently excellent menu for months at a time before changing seasonally. Is it the 9th best restaurant in the world-perhaps not-but I imagine on some nights it could be, and considering the price point I'd certainly return. read more

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My wife and I went here for our special dinner during our honeymoon years ago. We ordered the tasting menu with wine pairing and still to this day it's the greatest meal that we have ever had. We were lucky enough that the manager or what seemed like one of the people that was in charge of the restaurant came to our table to explained the food and showed us the wine bottles and beers that were paired with each meal and explained why. It was incredibly affordable for the quality of food with having so many exquisite dishes. I can't tell you how much we loved going to this place and would recommend coming here to anyone. read more

Sometimes you can be surprised by a place even going in with high expectations. We happened to fine at L'Arpege the night before and the excellent Nadia Socheleau who seems to know everyone of the who's who in Parisan dining let them know where were coming. Now we had setup shop fairly early but because we were a group of five, the wait was pretty long. After we were finally seated in the corner, I told one of the servers that Nadia sent her regards. After hearing that, he lit up a bit and said: "We've been expecting you, Nadia told us you were coming!" After we sat down, we looked at the long natural wine list. After conferring with the group, we decided we were going to go Jurancon and server made a fabulous recommendation of the 2006 Les Chais du Vieux Bourg Cotes du Jura B. B. 1. The 55 Euro Menu (which has since gone up to 60 since I was there). You get prix fixe of 5 courses and at the end you get to pick a dessert or cheese (more on that later). As we began to enjoy our wine our food came out as: -Amuse Bouches Avocado in Citrus Soup -Saint Jacques,Chou, Poutarge Scallops, Cabbage, Bottarga -Barbue, Navet, Manzanilla Catfish, Turnip, Chamomile -Boeuf, Pomme de Terre, Tandoori Beef, potatoes and Tandoori spices -Clementine, rhum, vanille - "Tocino del Ciello" Clementine/rum/egg yolk custard or Fromages du jour The flavor profile combinations were very intriguing. So simple, yet so delicious. Chef Inaki truly did start a renaissance of how people are thinking about food and this movement unbeknownst to other chefs around the world are finding kindred spirits in the likes of Relae in Copenhagen, Veranda in Belgium and the late Governor in Brooklyn. Two of the friends in our party live in Paris and come to Cheateaubriand quite often. They said that they've tried many times to get both dessert and cheese courses simultaneously. The servers would always refuse saying it was always one or the other so they'd have to do a split to get both. Somehow I managed to sweet talk our server into giving us both and that we would happily pay more for the supplement. It's funny how places that are popular as Chateaubriand, now on the international food pilgrimage map has people from all over the world coming and being demanding. Watching people fuss over the wait, get testy and even demanding was somewhat interesting as I observed. Even though we had an in through Nadia, we didn't bring it to light until we sat down. We respected the fact that they were trying to do what they do to the best of their abilities. They are in the business to make you happy and they try hard every night. I think in showing that we understood this and the fact that Nadia had sent word, it certainly made for a phenomenal interaction. We'd been taken care of so well, like old friends. In the end they didn't even charge us for the supplemental dessert add ons and they let us continue to drink and talk as long as we wanted. What a fantastic and special place Chateaubriand is. If you enjoy all the elements of dining out, they have it here in spades. Oh, and make sure you buy the staff some Patxaran. The owner is Basque after all. read more

On the day of our original reservation, the flight was uncooperative to say the least and I had to call them to reschedule, we had limited time in paris and Le Chateaubriand is always fully booked weeks out, it wasn't looking good for us. But they were so accommodating and found us a tight slot the next day. That'd bump up a star on any rating, not that they needed the bump as they were a five star experience anyway. The day of our rescheduled dinner, we got there a bit early and saw chef Inaki Aizpitarte outside on the phone having a smoke. I was quite surprised to see a chef of such renown doing the humble routine any number of commis were doing at the same moment. Le Chateaubriand is the one of the first neo-bistrot that challenged the stuffy formal white-cloth french fine dining with wild improvisational cooking that paved the way for the today's french cuisine, its importance cannot be understated. The wild day-of market-driven cooking meant it's gonna be surprises, not just what they serve that day, but new dishes entirely. Some odd creations at our dinner were sardine spring roll, octopus stuffed tomato, quince tortellini, chocolate foie gras sauce, dessert with runny egg yolk (this I know to be a constant here), etc. And more importantly, their improvisations work! I loved everything here bar the quince tortellini which I still found intriguing. I'll definitely be back whenever I have an opportunity to. read more

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KenScale: 7.5/10 Le Chateaubriand is a casual restaurant from chef Inaki Aizpitarte, a self-trained chef who had gained fame (or notoriety) as a sort of maverick chef not constrained by any boundaries and leading the so-called bistronomy movement, where a number of up and coming chefs had moved away from classic (and expensive) fine-dining institutions for more affordable fare with new ideas from all around the world. It has constantly been subject to mixed reviews, some critics loving the kitchen's novel approach and others not fans of the at times unstructured approach to food. While I'm always a fan of something new that a restaurant can offer, my impression with Le Chateaubriand unfortunately was closer to the latter. While there were certainly some surprises, I felt the execution was a bit lacking and wondered why the kitchen decided to take certain approach to flavor and texture in some dishes. I went for the tasting menu route at 65 euros per person, which would've been a fantastic bargain had the food been good. Most of the dishes, however, were rather ordinary without much surprise, or the flavor was unbalanced. I couldn't find anything special from fried shrimps or crab that came with Sicilian onion, and was rather puzzled that wasabi-like flavor was added to the skate dish that could've worked better without it. John Dory fish was well cooked, but the combination with artichoke and goat cheese didn't add much. Sometimes, it was the texture that was the problem. Perhaps because I'm generally not a huge fan of sweetbreads due to its mushy texture, but I felt a rather crunchy vegetable instead of similar mushy turnips could've saved the dish. While I was a fan of the fresh fermented milk ice cream, I was less impressed by the small bite of eggs, almonds and sugar where the eggs simply overwhelmed all the other sweeter elements. The restaurant accepts reservations for only the first table at 7:30 p.m., with the subsequent tables served only on first-come-first-serve basis. The restaurant was packed by the middle of my meal, and I saw a number of people coming over to inquire about availability for later dates. Overall, the food at Le Chateaubriand wasn't bad at all, but neither was it ground-breaking. I wonder whether it has to do with lack of structure in the chef Aizpitarte's approach to the food, or whether the restaurant just happens to have a bad day (it apparently features a menu that changes daily based on the fresh ingredients that are available that day). Will that merit a second look next time I'm in Paris? We'll see. . read more

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S. Pellegrino releases an annual list of the world's best restaurants, and amid the glamorous three-star culinary palaces and gastronomic meccas sits Le Chateaubriand. Ranked #9 in 2011, this restaurant stands out from many of the other top-ten restaurants because of its unpretentious ambiance and more relaxed atmosphere. Think jeans and shirt, not jacket and tie. With Le Chateaubriand offering a set prix fixe menu priced at a reasonable €55, I jumped at the opportunity to see what food from the ninth-best restaurant in the world would taste like. Surely, my palate would be amazed and dazzled like it had never been before, right? The restaurant does a no-reservation seating after about 9:30 every night, so I managed to snag a table a little before 11 pm after waiting for nearly two hours. With only a set prix fixe menu that changes on a daily basis, there's really no choice to make other than a choice of a cheese course or a dessert for the last course. To start, a parade of amuses bouche arrived in rapid succession. All were good, but the gougeres -- gruyere-filled choux pastry puffs topped with sesame seeds -- were especially tasty. The tomato salad was really good and was one of my favorite tastes of the evening; slices of tomato dressed with olive oil and served with a creamy cheese. I also liked the duck, which was coated with a slew of seeds. The soup was forgettable, though, and what was supposed to be ceviche seemed to be just a raspberry. I was confused about that one. After the amuses bouche, which counted as the first course, the second course was entitled Fish & Chips. Now, I get that lots of chefs these days are into making playful and classier versions of simple foods, but if I had wanted fish and chips, I would have gone to a chip shop and paid €6 for it instead of going to a high-end restaurant and paying €55. The fish was tempura-like, and the crisp chips were coated in paprika. All in all, a decent dish anywhere else, but underwhelming from what's supposed to be one of the world's best restaurants, leaving me feeling completely ripped off. The next course smelled incredible when it arrived at the table. Described by my waiter as tuna, mushrooms, and herbs (pictured at top), the mushrooms' aroma emanated from the plate and smelled crazy good. Sadly, the dish did not taste nearly as good as it smelled. The odd combination of ingredients didn't seem to complement one another, and the herbs -- basil seemed to be the most prevalent and potent -- overpowered everything else on the plate. I hardly tasted the tuna at all, though the mushrooms held up a bit better to the herbs. In another display of the chef's dump-a-whole-bunch-of-stuff-over-the-protein style of presentation, the fourth course did not wow me at all, either. Described as veal with seaweed, almond, and freshly ground morning glory, the taste of this dish was very muddled. The seaweed, which was kind of like thin string beans, had an off-putting sliminess, and the veal, which appeared to be cooked sous-vide, didn't have a crust to stand up to the seaweed's texture. It ended up as a kind of gloppy, mushy dish that wasn't very visually or texturally appealing. Another underwhelming dish amid a string of them. With the choice to opt for a cheese course or two desserts, I went with the desserts. The first, described as watermelon, red currants, and basil ice, was actually very good. Refreshing, sweet, and tart, this dish was, sadly, actually another one of my favorites from the evening. When my favorite dishes from the evening are a tomato salad and a bowl of fruit, you know I must be pretty disappointed with everything else. The second dessert, half an apricot submerged in a cup of vanilla ice cream with some honey at the bottom, was simple and tasted fine. Nothing more, nothing less. While Le Chateaubriand may be ranked the ninth-best restaurant in the world and may very well be just that good on some nights, I didn't think it was anything special during my visit. Call me unrefined or lacking of a sophisticated palate, but while the ingredients were top-notch, I found the food to be mediocre and underwhelming. Of course, maybe I just picked a bad night to come -- the downside of a set prix fixe menu that changes daily. But based on this one dining experience, I have a hard time believing that this is ranked #9 in the world's best restaurants. read more

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I hate to say it, but this meal was BAD. I've eaten at some of the best restaurants in the world (well, at least in NY & LA) and this just didn't stack up. My wife and I have a whole week of delicious meals planned for our honeymoon in Paris and this was the one I was personally looking forward to most... After reading rave reviews from numerous sources and watching certain celebrity chefs call this place "something special" I was expecting just that. We ordered the suggested wine pairings for the meal, which started off well - a tasty cheese puff (nothing to write home about, but good) and a delicious avocado amuse-bouche... Off to a good start, but one thing we noticed right away: the wines weren't complimentary cherries on top (as they should be), so much as completions of the dishes. Definitely a good sommelier, but what would the next dishes have in store? Nothing good, unfortunately. Multiple dangerous shell fragments in my crab salad, broken broth in our soups, chewy crudo, a bone in our undercooked fish dish, mushy sweetbreads, and highly mediocre deserts. And perhaps worst of all, everything was under seasoned - my wife never wants more salt and we agreed that every single dish was lacking. My aunt - who's the definition of a foodie & has never failed us in her recommendations - warned us this place had slipped in recent times. Frankly, we should've listened. I left the place wondering, did I miss something? Was it just a bad night? Just not to my taste? And I think the answer to all is a simple "no" - ultimately, this place seemingly isn't what it used to be & just isn't that good anymore. If not for the price (roughly €300 for two people) I'd rate 3 stars - but given the price and expectations a very disappointing 2 stars from me. read more

We had to come to this restaurant, which is consistently on every "top restaurant in the world" list. The offer a chefs tasting and nothing else, other than adding a wine pairing or not. I would suggest the pairings as they enhance your food experience and each wine/drink has a unique story and history. For example, one wine was a white wine, made with grape skins macerated and soaked for 8 days, like a red, and it was grown on a volcano. The photos should speak for themselves. As a person who goes to many tastings, I would describe this one overall as beautifully presented, picture perfect. The tastes and flavors were mild. Each bite got a bit better. The food was subtle and enjoyable, but not "knock your socks off" in terms of flavor. I do think it is a worthwhile meal if you want to taste the creations of this inventive chef. read more

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Food was crap, wine was crap, service was great! There is no A/C, so i sweated my a $$ off! NO idea how this place is rated so high!?!? Save your money and go somewhere else! read more

Le Chateaubriand - Does this look appetizing to you? - French Near Me - Paris, 75

Very inventive menu. We were asked if we wanted to know the tasting menu ahead of time or just as it came. We choose the latter, but everything was a great surprise. The menu changes daily so I've hard stories of bad experiences but the one I had was great. We got seated at the bar so we could see the whole orchestration. One of the best meals I've ever had. read more

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If I was to describe perfection 'chateaubriand' would fit this definition! To be greeted knowing they genuinely want you in their joint is good feeling, this was the beginning of my experience here, it went up hill from here! From go to woe this place ticked all my boxes, friendly, relaxed, informative service! Food that was perfectly balanced in presentation, flavour, texture, full of pleasant surprises! To eat a caramelised egg yolk snuggled in a meringue case to eat in one bite thrilled me no end!! I left wanting to come back... Thanks guys! read more

Le Chateaubriand - Perfection! - French Near Me - Paris, 75

A gastrobrasserie to visit. Set menu, organic/biodynamic/weird wines, jam packed and way too loud, with chaotic service that eventually gets accomplished. Don't expect perfection here, clearly this place is all about imperfections. Not sure why this establishment is liked so much (it is high on S. Pellegrino's '50 Best' list); they made us reuse our cutlery each course. Cuisine here is creative, but, not spellbinding by any means. Decor is O.K., nothing special compared to most serious restaurants in Paris that get the attention this place gets. I think the French like this place more so than outsiders do. With all the lore, I was expecting a lot more out of dining here than a borderline bore. Yet, it is worth a visit at least once to check out the new Parisian dining scene, whether you like it or not. Reservations accepted by telephone only, good luck getting one. read more

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3.5 stars. From looking at photos prior to coming here, I was hoping for something more than we received. That may seem harsh but my expectations were sky high after several fantastics meals in Paris in previous days. The presentation was somewhat lacking overall, at least compared to what I was expecting from photos and a few dishes were somewhat bland. That said, it was still a positive experience and I was happy to have dined here. The staff was very friendly and explained the dishes carefully. The option of cheese vs. dessert is a complete trap though. While the cheeses are fine for cheeses, the desserts are something quite special, and you would be remiss to forgo them in favor of common cheese. read more

Loved my meal here. Reservation was easy, service attentive, food innovative and incredible. Considerably less expensive than other "fancy" Parisian restaurants but more creative in execution and rustic in feel. A worthy destination for foodies in Paris. read more

Great place to go if you want to experience the height of Parisienne cuisine that is pushing the limits on all levels. There was a few items that were not within my own boundaries but overall a good experience for me and my family. This place is not a place to go if you have limitations in your diet. There was a couple who were American that were vegetarian that had some other limitations as well and it was painful just watching them explain to different people for 20 minutes on what they can and cannot have. This is a restaurant that serves one set menu, not a la carte. Mushrooms on ice cream... that was hard to overcome in my head but not so much in the mouth. Celeriac oil in my ice cream... that went a little overboard. read more

I was very excited to eat at Le Chateaubriand and would've normally rated it 4 or 5 stars if not for the upsetting service we received. I was prepared to spend longer time enjoying our meal, but we noticed tables that had similar size as our's or bigger were served much quicker and servers were more attentive to them. We even noticed people seated after us get served before us. At the end, we paid our bill before they remembered to serve us our last course. I'm not sure if it's because we were a minority, but it felt humiliating to feel invisible and forgotten at such a nice restaurant. At this price point, go to somewhere read more

I'm not really sure how to fairly rate this place bc I didn't like the food at all bc I just don't like French food that much. However, overall the food and experience was good. One thing I didn't like was my chicken being under cooked for my taste. I feel like we freak out about undercooked chicken in the US so that might have been part of it. I actually asked them to take it back n cook it longer. I was quite embarrassed that I was THAT person but in just couldn't bring myself to eating it. Highlight of our meal was the crispy little shrimp. read more

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what a restaurant! We got a late reservation (9:30) for a Saturday night and arrived to a bustling restaurant. I barely took photos during this meal because we were so excited by all the courses and wine that we couldn't help but start eating right when the plates hit our table. The staff who served us were all so nice and had so much fun eating and observing the tables around us. There weren't any courses that I remember disliking, but some were more memorable than others (such as the egg yolk dessert). After so much eating in Paris, we were still blown away by the quality of the dishes and the inventiveness of each of the dishes. The wine pairing was also a super fun combination of familiar and new wines that really complemented the food. We'll definitely be back the next time we go to Paris. read more

Le Chateaubriand - French Near Me - Paris, 75

Came here for dinner for two and getting reservations wasn't too hard. The food was mostly good but some things were kind of bland or could use a bit of seasoning. Service was a bit hurried and we felt a little rushed because there were a line of people waiting and wanted to turn the tables over quickly. Was it good? yeah. some of the courses were memorable but for a Michelin restaurant I wasn't as impressed as I should of been. My experience at the other Michelin restaurant was out of this world with flavor, service and ambiance. Here its mostly about the food and even then it was meh. read more

We loved our dinner at Le Chateaubriand. This restaurant is one of my all-time favorites. Light and delicious. And at 70 euros, this is one of the best foodie deals you'll find anywhere in the world. The restaurant is not at all what you'd expect from the top 24th restaurant in the world. The restaurant itself could be easily missed from the road, with its super unassuming facade. The inside feels like a typical french bistro. No white tablecloths. It's not reverently quiet like other haute cuisine establishments. On the contrary, the room is loud and filled with warmth and lively conversation. The silverware isn't replaced between courses. The staff is super informal. They wear t-shirts; not the typical suits you'll find in most other Michelin-starred restaurants in paris. They were a bit rushed during the night. But overall, they were all very friendly. The sommelier, in paritcular, was really helpful and funny. He helped us pick a Loire Valley wine: Agnes & Rene Mosse Anjou 2006 (a Cabernet/Cabernet Franc blend) which was delicious. The waitress sat down right next to us, to orientate us through the menu, which changes daily. She gave us the option of hearing about the prix fixe menu ahead of time, or being surprised with each course. (We chose the latter, of course) This as our menu: 1) Cheese bread with poppy seeds 2) Ceviche avocado. Taken in one shot. Cold and refreshing 3) Veal brain tempura with grated horseradish - the inside was soft and creamy, like biting into a savory pillow. Very fragrant 4) Sea asparagus risotto with baby pine needles - somewhat briny, like the taste of the sea. Subtle though, and not overpowering. The asparagus was actually not asparagus at all, but long thin tendrils of seaweed. Firm and very crispy with every bite 5) Fennel broth with ravioli of smoked eel and ricotta - the broth was amazing. It had wonderful umami. The ravioli was more like a Chinese wonton. Really quite good. My wife said this would be a perfect hangover cure 6) Cuttlefish with onions, pimenton chili powder, and fried artichoke in black cuttlefish ink - the artichoke was sliced paper thin before getting deep-fried. Really delicious. Great crispy texture. My only small complaint was that the artichokes were a tad bitter 7) Cod with white asparagus and white acacia flowers - the presentation of this dish was amazing. All white and floral. Unfortunately, the dish didn't taste as amazing as it looked. It wasn't bad by a long shot. It just wasn't spectacular. The cod was well-prepared but a bit bland. It was also just a tad on the salty side. The asparagus was very fresh and crisp. A nice garden-y contrast to the seafood. This was my least favorite dish 8) Chicken with purple spinach and cream of chicken liver - probably one of the best chicken dishes I've ever had. There was a piece of white meat, plated next to a piece of dark meat. The white meat was so tender, and it tasted like they had marinated the meat in chicken stock for days. There was so much juicy flavor in every bite. Meanwhile, the dark meat was roasted to perfection. It almost tasted like duck. The chicken liver was really creamy and complemented the dish beautifully. This was hands down my most favorite course 9) Fraise Chantilly - Strawberries with strawberry sorbet, elder flower, and whipped cream. The whipped cream was so light, it was more foam than cream. It was like eating spoonfuls of air 10) Tocino de Cielo - raw egg yolk with caramelized sugar on top. This goodness was then placed on top of a tower of caramel and dehydrated caramel powder. You eat this dessert in one bite, and the ingredients mix in your mouth, magically creating a creme brule right in your mouth 11) Blood orange slices with saunf (an Indian digestive spices) read more

Yes I am giving this 5 . Marianne K. and I went last night. It's maybe the best tasting menu and honestly the sweetbreads were the best I've ever had. It's a chefs choice every night so we asked to be surprised. Not a single disappointment from the raspberry/gaspacho amuse bouche, to the sashimi with mouled cabbage and mozzarella, to the - yes sweetbreads again. Finally, we chose the wine pairing and it is absolutely worth it. So unusual, so clear, and really enlightening for me - cider, champagne, and a chardonnay that was almost like a single malt scotch. Enjoy! read more