I almost cancelled my reservation after reading some of the reviews about the staff. I am so glad I didn't. We went last evening at 8:30 and had the menu for 60 euros, which was all they offered. My Ability to speak French is pre beginner. Menu written in French, but was helped by a very pleasant staff. Two amuse buches. A tiny sandwich of something deliciously toasted with salami inside. Next came cheese puffs. First course a ravioli with foie gras surrounded by hot pea purée soup and garnished with petit peas. Our next course was cod fish with asparagus and a lemon confit. Main course pigeon with foie gras over a mousseline of carrots with sorrel leaves. We Were siting next to another table of two persons. They moved our tables together and where presented a board of at least 10 extraordinary cheeses , honey, cherry jam, paprika jelly, and quince pate. We were told to eat as much as we liked. Cheese alone with the 60 euros. We made friends with our neighbors. Lastly dessert was crime fraiche ice cream over strawberries and a basil mousse with pea size pieces of meringue. We could not fault anything. Only perhaps that we had too much to eat. Staff were all helpful with trying to understand written menu. English subtitles would be nice, but we managed very well without. Highly recommend read more

Le Comptoir - Cheese platter - Bistros Near Me - Paris, 75

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I had dinner there last week and it was lovely~ the Escargot which I shared with my friend; were spot on delicious. The bread that was served with it, was perfect for sopping up the garlic herb butter. My friend had a beef cheek stew which was absolutely amazing~ the flavours were rich and meaty. I had the seared tuna and it too was wonderful. We were going to walk to Isle St. Louis for Berthillon ice cream, but decided to stay and have desert there instead. Her mousse and my créme brûlée were exactly what we were hoping for. It was a wise decision to stay because we would have surely been rained on if we had ventured on! We enjoyed sitting outside, and we did not feel rushed by our servers despite the growing lineup. Dinner for 2 was €94. read more

Le Comptoir - The Escargots~ yum!! - Bistros Near Me - Paris, 75

Friendly staff, cute outdoor seating, unpretentious yet delicious food. Lobster bisque was good, loved the escargot, foie gras toast was surprisingly good with the jam on top, lamb shank with what looked like couscous was tender and flavorful. Would definitely come here again! read more

The level of comfort here was not great. We sat literally in a small doorway where servers ran past us, and we ate off of a shaky teeny tiny table that barely fit our food and made cutting and eating very cumbersome. We were sure we were going to knock over the entire table and create a huge mess, as my Husband is probably the clumsiest person alive. Luckily he only lost 1 escargot to the floor, which I picked up and ate anyway :X! It was in a shell! There was a line outside of people waiting to be seated, so when it was our turn, we gladly took whatever we could get. The menu is in French, but Google Translate helped us get the gist of what we were ordering. I have a nut allergy and was told that the dishes we ordered had no nuts. We decided on the tuna and the lamb chops. When our food came out, it looked amazing, but I noticed that the tuna had pesto all over it, which probably meant pine nuts were in there, and the lamb was covered with almonds. This was a little frustrating, but after pointing it out to them, I have to give them credit for going above and beyond to make sure I knew what I was eating in spite of our language barriers. Our server, who I gathered was probably the owner, made two trips to our table where he brought out a French to English Dictionary and then went as far as to actually bring out the nuts in the dish we ordered. We didn't make a big fuss. Instead, my husband ate the tuna and I ate the lamb (I can actually eat almonds, so I lucked out). Holy moly this food was outstanding. The tuna was perfectly rare inside and had delicious veggies and an olive puree on it. i insisted on having a bite around the pesto. It was worth risking the mild allergy attack! The lamb was in a thin, but rich, tomato sauce that was tangy, buttery, and absolutely wholesome. The white beans complemented this dish well. For dessert , we shared the pots de creme. It was the best dessert we ate while we stayed in Paris. The food was a little on the pricy side but well worth it. read more

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People rave about this place, and its sister restaurant L'Avant Comptoir, big time. Sadly, the love was lost on me during a brief afternoon visit. I'd say Le Comptoir du Relais is probably a haven for adventurous eaters. Personally, I don't partake in dishes such as bone marrow, pâté, foie gras, etc., and these are the types of items that make up the bulk of the menu. After looking a bit more closely at L'Avant Comptoir, I think that may have been a better fit for me. The all-French menu was way advanced for my 101 skills, and we weren't getting much sympathy. We decided to play it safe with a cheese plate and bottle of rosé. I think our server could tell I wanted something a bit more and she was kind enough to also suggest their vegetable salad, which came with a variety of fresh vegetables and olives and a vinaigrette dressing. Our cheese plate arrived courtesy of another server, but no explanation of the cheeses was offered, which was disappointing. I may not be fluent in French yet, but I am fluent in cheese. The cheese plate was fine but not my favorite of the trip. Not my favorite dining experience in Paris but maybe next time I'll check out L'Avant Comptoir. read more

Over-rated and not worth the wait. My friend had visited this restaurant a few years ago and said it was very good. Anthony Bourdain recommends it. There is a line out the door. Perhaps, remnants from their glory days? We came here very early for dinner (5or 6PM?), since we did not want to wait too long. However, by the time we got there, they were all out of foie gras. Fail. We tried the escargot and were given dried out snails. Not succulent. Almost all the entrees were a total fail. Some were edible and were only okay. We were a party of 8 and so I tried about 6 entrees. The best dish was the steak and fries... which is pretty simple. I didn't come to Paris to eat steak though... I would say worst restaurant in Paris I have been to. read more

The menu is all in French and delish. It is not vegetarian friendly, however I got the eggs with Mayonnaise which were amazing but the only choice for non meat/seafood eaters. Be weary as the waiter charged for an expensive (7euro) water I didn't order! read more

Le Comptoir - Eggs (only veggie dish) - Bistros Near Me - Paris, 75

Walked in by mistake, thankfully we didn't have to wait for too long (while afterwards people waited for a table for at least 10-15 minutes). An absolute gem. Cool Parisien atmosphere, outside you sit shoulder to shoulder with the tables next to you, but it's fine. The food was delicious and creative, beautifully set. A bit pricey, but not out of the ordinary. read more

Le Comptoir - Bistros Near Me - Paris, 75

C'est vrai. Everything they say is true. There is a reason locals, tourists, lovers and haters line up to dine at this small Parisian institution... it's delicious and a hoot. Inside is noisy and smells like heaven, with people ordering from the bible-length menu or from the specials on the mirror. In true tourist fashion I had a bottle of rosé, French onion soup, the cassoulet and the cheese plate. They were all perfect. We sat outside under the heat lamps and watched drooling patrons line up for their turn to sit and enjoy similar masterpieces. After serious thought, and even some serious shade from our servers, this is likely my favourite restaurant in Paris. Bon Appetit. read more

We came around 1:30pm on a Tuesday and got a table for 2 outside right away! Yes, the service is spotty, but who really comes to Paris for great service? The food here is what you come for. Between the two of us, we split a salade nicoise to start, and for our meals, we ordered the tuna steak and the special of the day which was sting ray. Everything was incredible but I have to say the sting ray, which I had never tried before, was SO AMAZING!! This place is foodie heaven. read more

so glad to have dined at this place as it's been on my bookmark since anthony bourdain's 100th episode of no reservations. got to le comptoir around 11:45am on a monday morning and there was already a line out the door! we expected to wait but fortunatly we got in on the first seating. we odered: -foie gras - sliced thinly and served on toast along with 2 hearts of romaine, it was melt in your mouth delicious. -escargot - 6 snails cooked with pesto, butter, and garlic. good but not the best i've had...could have used a little more garlic. -beef cheek stew - home cooking goodness. beef cheeks were cooked to perfection, served with macaroni pasta, potatoes, and sweet onions. large portion for lunch. -chocolate mouse - lightly whipped chocolate mouse with passion fruit on the bottom...yum. -assorted cheese plate - omg...i could have made a meal out of this...6 different cheeses served on a beautiful platter, all for 8 EURS! -bourdeaux - glass of red wine with our lunch, after all we are in paris! meal came with some bread, but beware, they charge extra if you ask for butter! the place is small, so be prepared to make friends with your neighbor. service was friendly, our waitress spoke limited english but we heard other staff speak fluent english. get here early to make the first lunch seating, otherwise be prepared to wait! read more

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Have you ever waited in line for something just because everyone else was waiting in line? If being at an "it" place is priority, then step right up. If you're invested in the actual pleasure of the experience... keep walking. While service and quality at Le Comptoir has been steadily declining over the last year, the wait time for unimpressive food and brusque service has not! The Croque Monsieur with caviar and smoked salmon, or the Sandwich de Ocean Sodium, is almost uncomfortable to eat. Did you want some water to try and wash down the copious amounts of salty brine burning your throat? That'll be 6 euros, sucker. (Tourist pro-tip: charging anywhere from 3-9 euros for water isn't uncommon, and they're not going to tell you, so BYOW if you're on a budget.) The free bread we had prior to ordering was better than the bread our sandwiches were served on, so points for the free bread. The escargot was also fantastic, but not unique in any way. Oh, and Le Comptoir's little to-go restaurant next door makes waffles with Nutella that are soggy and taste like county fair... so that's pretty good... if you're drunk. Maybe. Now, I know it can be jarring trying to figure out where to eat in Paris, but listening to something Anthony Bourdain said years ago isn't reason enough to waste the stomach space. read more

Le Comptoir du Relais. That's how you need to remember it. If you leave out "du Relais" people will have no idea what you are talking about. It could be any number of restaurants, but it can also be furniture stores, miscellaneous goods or what not. But when you put it all together, there is but one Le Comptoir du Relais. This, my friends, is a must try restaurant in Paris! Let's get one thing settled from the beginning. They don't take reservations. It's a first come first serve and if you happen to have to wait, there is a line that starts outside. You have the option of sitting inside or outside (I prefer the inside) and on a nice day, they open all the doors and the restaurant is then literally open to the outdoors. It has a nice little bar as well and daily specials are written on the mirror in the back. It's best if you speak French but they will handle English as well. I found myself dazzled by the number of French words that I had never learned/forgotten. Most of them involve French cuisine so give me a break! Our dinner started off with a plate of chacuterie meats followed by a crab bisque and octopus bouillon. All were fabulous. In particular, the octopus was awesomely cooked, not chewy in a clear broth that was surprisingly flavorful for how light it was. We tried the special veal dish was was perfect and shared the appetizer egg dish. So let me explain the latter to you. I don't know all the ingredients but this is a dish about texture and different ways in which eggs can be prepared. In addition to that there are little pearls in the dish that burst with flavor as you eat the dish adding a complete new dimension to it all. Last but not least, the dessert. We had the modified peach melba there and it was by far the BEST dessert I have had in Paris. Yes, that includes it being better than the pistachio souffle at La Cigale Recamier. A small peach nestled on top of vanilla ice cream, added textures of cake and other things at the bottom and a drizzle of jam on top. Simple but amazingly wonderful. You must try it if it is a special again. They have to add this to the menu! Even if you have to wait here, it doesn't take too long. I think we were there for 15 min before a table was completely turned over. We were served within 5 min of ordering which was FAST. We were out of the restaurant within 30 min. Of course, we were fast eaters and by no means did we feel rushed at all. You have to come here. Get to the door by opening time and you'll have no problems finding a seat right away. read more

LOVED this place!!! After trying a few trendier, "fancier" Parisian places - we read Anthony Bourdain's recs and headed over on a whim. I appreciate how overall nondescript and low key this place was. I get some of the reviews about non-friendly service - and I get what they are talking about - the tables are cramped, and you are ushered to whatever seat frees up. The menu is all in French, and the staff is just too busy to help you translate, but that's what the iPhone is for. I mean this place isn't a Michelin star establishment people. Just your simple diner with quick waiters and non-fancy furniture and out door seating to people watch. Having said that, my husband and I never felt rushed during our meal - we lingered for a good hour afterwards chatting with the table next to us. Per recs, we came "early" at around 5:30 to avoid the crowds. By the end of our meal, there was a line outside (despite the rain). This place specializes in "traditional" French fare - we stuck with the popular dishes and were not disappointed. I've bolded the MUST GET dishes... ESCARGOT - YES! You can order 6 or 12 - AMAZING. Swimming in garlic and butter, perfect for bread dipping. TOAST DE FOIE GRAS - thinly sliced for the perfect perfect toast to foie gras ratio! You can't come to Paris and not have some foie gras! Bone Marrow (os a moelle) - with pea purée and edamame and caviar - super rich. Can you really go wrong wtih a bone marrow? Beef cheeks stew (daube de joue de boeuf coquillettes et carrottes) - My husband called this "comfort food" with carrots, baby onions, macaroni. I thought it was just OK, but the hubby scarfed it down. I would recommend this place to ANYone visiting Paris. Just a simple place which amazing French food. It would be like recommending In-N-Out to people visiting Los Angeles (well, not exaclty, but you know what I mean). Interesting tid-bit: Next door there is a charcuterie by the same owner - bar/standing room only. Looked hip and interesting. read more

I had to come back to Paris because I didn't indulge enough the first time. Of all the decadent sh*t, Le Comptoir is the only eatery I chose to review. If you come here for lunch, expect to stand in a long line. If you start to get impatient, just mingle with the locals and tourists (you'll be surprised what you hear). My wife and I arrived early at 11:30 but still had to wait an hour as we just missed the first round of seating. It was a rainy day so by the time we finally glanced the menu, the heated lamps were a huge plus. Also expect to be squeezed between two other tables like the nutty professor trapped inside a sports car. Know this in advance and it won't be as uncomfortable. We started with the typical bottle of wine and foie gras on toast. Neither blew us away; but hey, when in Rome.... The most impressive dish (in all of Paris) was their escargot. I couldn't believe how much flavor was bursting out of these shells. Trust me, order two. I'm reluctant to eat escargot anywhere else, as I'm afraid I'll ruin the memory. For my entree, I wisely chose the baby pig braised in lentil stew. So tender you don't need a knife. So moist you'll want a spoon. I hope one day this dish cures veganism. My wife ordered the the lobster in butter sauce with penne. What can I say...it was buttery and delectable. The service sucks donkey balls and the ambiance is hardly romantic. So imagine how mind-blowing their food must be for me to still give this place 5 stars. I highly doubt there's another bistro in town that offers this level of flavor variety for under 120 euros. An old man once said: a true tourist comes to Paris to get lost in its streets. If you follow these words and still somehow stumble onto Le Comptoir, you are definitely doing something right. read more

After trying out several brasseries during my trip to Paris, Le Comptoir du Relais wins by far! Reservations are only available for dinner. We lucked out and only had a wait of 5 minutes at around 1:30pm on a Sunday. As a warning though, the service here definitely does not match to the amount of stars it gets for the food. (I'm sure Bourdain didn't have this issue though.) They are short staffed and I can see why previous yelpers have mentioned how rude they can come off to their customers. Don't expect top notch service because you just might find yourself asking them about 3 times, "Ou-est mon verre de Bordeaux?" Otherwise, food was delicious! Portions were definitely generous by Paris standards. I was able to taste the lobster salad, which was INCREDIBLY savory and buttery.. As for the Burgundy escargots, I can't really say that these were the best escargots I've had in Paris.. Still tasty nonetheless! If you are into desserts, order the "baba au rhum." Just know the staff will make SURE that your cake will be beyond saturated with rum and at the same time, delicious! read more

My boyfriend has now decided that this is his FAVOURITE restaurant in the entire city. Well, you know what, he has a point. The food here is pretty damn delicious. So let's get something straight here. This is a restaurant for the hotel called Relais de st germaine, which is why it's called "The Counter of Relais" and then there's the wine bar next door called "Before the counter". The bar next door is a walk-in and if you can find space, you can order some small tapas/appetisers but here at the full restaurant, the place is usually fully booked and you will need a lot of luck or good timing to get a seat walking in (and willing to wait next door at the bar for a while). Well, i can just reserve right? Only if you stay at the hotel. Reservations at this restaurant is only for hotel guests. Is it worth all this hassle? YES YES YES. If you are not already too full from having stuffed your face next door, order whatever on the menu that you think will please your palate and you will be happy. I'm not even going to bother telling you what our group ordered. It's a bit spendy, but not overly so for the quality of the food - which is why getting seats are so damn difficult. Their portions are happy portions too! Be prepared to spend about 50EUR a person including drinks and you'll walk away crying that you don't have the ability to eat here everyday. Oh, and don't expect fantastic service. They're usually too busy but their intentions are to ensure you are well-fed! read more

If there was a place to sit out in the winter for dinner in Paris, it would be in St Germain des Pres. We had a late dinner and did not make reservation at first we wanted to go the bar but it was completely packed. The Le Comptoir was also full but there were tables outside. The outdoor heater and the assorted farm animals embroidered blankets were calling us. We sat at the outdoor table for a tasting menu, 5 courses for 60 Euro it was very reasonably priced including a cheese course. The food was very generously portioned too like the coquilles St Jacques there were two full scallops. The Veau de lait Bearnais was so fantastic! The cheese course - a tray of assorted French cheese displayed in front of us, self-service! It was so wonderful to taste every type of cheeses. French cheeses are the best!! The food overall was simple good ingredient with some modern techniques unlike a traditional restaurant. It was a very relaxed experience. The wait staff were very nice and professional it was casual but still good service. The fun part was the people watching. The occasional flower sellers who were pestering us to buy their roses. And the homeless Japanese guy who walked over to our table asking for a sip of the red wine, he was harmless.... read more

I was disappointed today with the service. I'm American but my French is very good and I studied culinary arts in France so I know food and I know the language. But the server treated me like a tourist. She abruptly placed my wine on the table, forgot the carafe d'eau, slapped my plates and cutlery on the table and walked away without any words. To the others (French people), she gently placed their food in front of them and said 'Bon Degustation'. read more

I wanted to eat here after seeing it on Anthony Bourdain's last episode of No Reservations. That is the first part that is funny as tried to call to make a reservation and for weekdays they were booked 6 months out. On weekends they do not take reservations unless you are staying at the hotel. For those who do not plan months in advance or want to spend 300 euros to stay in the hotel the only option is to show up soon after 7pm on a weekend and wait in line. It took us 90 minutes on Bastille Day to get a table. This was not so big of a deal as can get glasses of wine at the neighboring comptoir counter. The first sign of trouble was that the first two choices for apps including the foie gras were out by 9pm. Forced to make a decision quickly we chose the bone marrow and got the special free range duck special. Neither of them did anything as the duck ravioli was in a weak broth with some random vegetables which were in many of the dishes. I would rather have had some cheap dumplings then the dish and the bone marrow did nothing either for my companion. The main dish was also another special with the same duck. The duck skin which usually is amazing was a limp soggy bad tasting mess. The vegetables were random and badly cooked. My pork was amazing and the only reason I thought about giving this place 2 stars but the inverse of Meatball's song "2 out of 3 ain't bad" is that 3 out of 4 is bad. Especially when spending over 120 euros on a meal. Do not go here. I felt like a schmuck (a nearby place, by the way) for eating here and spending my good money and time at this place. Will return to Pierre Sang but do not even want to see this place again. It goes down with Rue 57 in New York as one my biggest WTF restaurant moments. I, for some odd reason, tried a dessert and regretted that also as had better desserts at cheap restaurants in the USA. read more

OMG!!!! We got the prix fix meal. Everything was spot on! The steak tartar was stellar. Simple fabulous. One of the best I've had in France and I always get steak tartar. Always! The Rouget (mullet) was out of this world. Delicate, is the only word that I can come up with to describe the flavor and texture of the dish. The Fucking Cheese Course!!!! They left all 20+ (seriously) varieties and their condiments at our table for at least 15 minutes! Needless to say, I was in rapture! Pure cheese Nirvana. I'm still high off of this and this meal was about 5 years ago. Sorry you guys, about not writing this sooner. I completely forgot to write this review. I seriously just came down off of that high. read more

If you can't get reservations for dinner, I highly recommend stopping by for lunch (first come first serve). If you get there 30 minutes before doors open, you'll probably be the first ones there. The entire menu is in French, and the servers don't speak English, so you're on your own if you can't read French! Even for lunch, the menu is vast, and if you're like me and don't know a SINGLE word in French, this can be very overwhelming. I googled a menu in English... and although this one was out-dated, about half the menu is still the same, so I could know exactly what was what: http://www.thepariskitchen.com/2011/08/le-comptoirs-menu-in-english/ I had some sort of beef stew with macaroni... it didn't look that appetizing, but it was pretty hearty. Definitely too much food for lunch! The DH got pig's feet (his newest obsession in France) which was also very good, but too rich for lunch. Definitely one of the better restaurants in such a touristy city. read more

Not cheap, but not outrageous (about 76 EUR for 2 with one glass wine each, one desert, 2 appetizers, 2 mains.) However, excellent indeed. We had the blood sausage as an appetizer, and my 10-year old said it was the best thing he ate, ever. The beef cheeks and lamb shank were also outstanding mains. If you don't speak French, then go there with a menu translator or a smart phone (Google Translate worked for everything we gave it.) Also, no attitude from waiter for this non-French speaking customer. read more

For the first time out of a few trips to Paris, finally encountered our first stereotypically rude service. After waiting patiently for 20 minutes, a group of French people were seated before us for simply arguing with the waiter. Then when we were finally seated next to the jerks, the waiter proceeded to ignore us, take their drink orders, leave, return with said drinks, and then took their food order. When I said we've been waiting for so long, the waiter suddenly acted like he didn't know English and just told me to twiddle my thumbs in French. Not sure how we offended them when we didn't argue for a seat and they were nice to other Americans. Just a shame that all in all we waited for 1 hr 15 m only to be treated terribly. read more

With so many great restaurants closed on Sunday, we planned to have lunch at Le Comptoir which is thankfully open. The restaurant doesn't take reservations on Sunday, unlike every other day of the week. So just show up and you should be able to get a table in a reasonable amount of time. We arrived around 2pm, and the restaurant and l'Avant were both full, although there was no queue to get a table. So we put our name in with the hostess and waited outside for not more than 10 minutes. We were shuffled in to the tight dining room, and seated at a table between a wall and another two top. Our waitress spoke a little english, but for the most part we were able to get by with our mediocre French. We ordered a plate of oeuf mayonnaise right off the bat just because. Two eggs, sliced in half, covered in luscious mayonnaise and some shards of crisp bacon... simple, tasty and satisfying. I was mildly concerned to notice a thin layer of green around the yolks, and I thought that perhaps the small step of shocking the eggs in an ice bath after cooking shouldn't have been overlooked by such a renowned kitchen. Quietly I hoped that this would not be indicative of other details overlooked as our meal progressed. For an entree I ordered octopus and tomato confit salad- filled with tender octopus, baby romaine, and tomato and garlic both done two ways. The tomatoes were presented confit and raw, the garlic pickled and fried in chips. The combinations of textures and flavors complemented and enhanced one another, depending on how each bite was composed. Again, simple and satisfying. My friend ordered the beet soup and quite enjoyed it... I had a sample, and it was rather rustic, the diced beats still had some bite to them which was unexpected but nice. Prior to ordering, I quickly scanned the extensive menu, and though there were many items that caught my eye, I made up my mind as soon as I saw "Cochon au lait braisé et rôti," (suckling pig, braised and roasted,) sounded fantastic and perfect after a few hours of riding bicycles around the city. I tried to imagine how this would be prepared, and I was not disappointed when it arrived: A thick cylinder of meat deeply caramelized on the top and bottom, resting on a dense bed of puy lentils. The pig had been slowly braised, then the meat from all over pulled and rolled into a long cylinder and wrapped in lardon. A two inch thick section was sliced off, quickly roasted and served, garnished with a clove of pickled garlic and a little blue potato chip. The pork itself was heavenly, with a melange of textures- succulent meat throughout, but at times crispy and with bits of fat and offal scattered here and there. It was like eating a whole pig in one compact, delectable disc... the lardon even served as a subtle, crispy "skin." Fairly simply prepared and presented, the pig was the star through and through, and in this dish proved once again that it is indeed the most delicious animal. My friend ordered the poularde rôti, which is a spin on the classic French dish poule au pot (Chicken in a pot). It was composed similarly to the cochon de lait, a thick round portion of roasted chicken, set atop some starch, (rice? potato? I don't recall) bathing in a creamy foam. I had a bite, and it was quite tasty and tender, but I was consumed with my pork and didn't take much note beyond that. My friend thoroughly enjoyed his meal however. In the meantime, we struck up a conversation with the Polish couple seated next to us, who come to Paris several times a year, mostly for the purpose of eating. In their opinion, Le Comptoir is and has been "one of the best for the past few years." The gentleman had rack of lamb which looked and smelled mouthwatering, and he confirmed as much. For desert, I had an order of rhum baba, my friend made do with a sampling of sorbet. I'm not sure why I ordered this particular dessert, as there were other more inventive and intriguing choices on the menu. Perhaps I unconsciously wanted to continue the trend of simplicity and comfort. My baba was very good, but in all honesty was so greatly eclipsed by the magical cochon, I have a hard time remembering much of it. Cake was moist on the inside, with a nice golden crust, perfect to sop up the rum without getting soggy. After finishing our meal, and conversing with our new Polish friends, (about food, and not about food) my companion and I decided that Le Comptoir was our best overall meal in France. My concern about minor missteps and unfinished details were unfounded. The capabilities of the tiny kitchen are reinforced by the fact that two cooks man it, almost on top of each other, furiously, magically producing a broad variety of expertly cooked dishes. Impressive. The simplicity, the amalgamation of flavor and texture, the hearty satisfaction of eating honest food; it all came together. And we missed out on the charcuterie! Next time. read more

If you want to be welcomed like passengers of the 3rd class of the Titanic go there. There are probably among the most unkind waiters in Paris. We were moved from one table to another just because they wanted to keep that table for potential next customers, no apologizes given, no sorry, nothing just a "Move to this table because we need to keep that one". Customers are lined up like canned fishes. Each table sticks to another one, and you stick the nearby customers as you would stick your neighbor in the economic class cabin of a low cost airline. We staid 5 min and after seeing how other customers and us were treated just left without ordering. This is the place not to go. read more

Fabulous food! Rumor has it one must call months in advance to obtain a reservation. We took our chances and showed up only to wait approx 35 minutes in line for dinner. The "line nazi" made sure we stood in line in an orderly fashion & we sat outside among all the other English speaking diners. Service was prompt & good, our meal was wonderful. Creme Artichaut soup, artichoke bits, foie gras, tapioca balls - rich & amazing. Carpaccio Tete Veau; Pied Porc - succulent & tender pork foot was pressed into a small brick then gently fried to a crisp outer layer - outstanding flavor. We ordered 11 dishes (4 diners) & everything was superb. Verrine Pruneaux - Armagnac marinated prunes were puréed & served parfait style w/ice-cream & topped w/creme brûlée...one of the best desserts I have ever enjoyed. Sans resos, plan on waiting a while unless you have a group of 4 or less. They don't accept reservations on weekends. Worth the wait! read more

We went for a late lunch so we didn't have to wait for a table. Ordered the starters we knew we wanted straight away from the female manager working the interior restaurant. We needed some more time on the main choices. Once we decided we let her know but she said she needed a minute. Then our starters came and we started eating. Again tried to order the mains but were told she need a minute. Finished the starters, told a third time she needed a minute... Looking at the tables outside being serviced by the uniformed waiters we saw happy and attentive people who were helping their customers. Clearly the women helping us is unhappy with her job as the interactions between her & the interior restaurant customers and the waiters & their customers is stark. Anyway after being told to wait to order a third time, she walked outside, lit a cigarette and went on a smoke break for 15 minutes! At this point I was laughing - the perfect stereotype! Simple solution, we flagged down a waiter they took our order right away and we interacted with them the rest of the meal. We only saw the female manager again when she showed up to collect the credit card. The food was very good and I enjoyed going because I was not in a rush and felt pity for the manager. Maybe she didn't sign up for a TV-famous-packed restaurant and this doesn't suit her. In any case do try this restaurant but for a more than two star experience try to get a good waiter and if you don't ignore the bad one and flag down someone who doesn't appear miserable with life. read more

Watching reruns of No Reservations. Still trying to move on after the death of Anthony Bourdain. He is the reason we visited this bistro. The food is good and reasonably priced. Don't get the escargot or Salad Nicoise. Do however, get anything steak. Beef cheek macaroni was good. The tables are small, the seating is limited, and lines are long, but worth the wait. The 6th arrondissement is really nice and great place to walk around and shop. Thanks Tony! The world misses you dearly. Hope you are in Heaven traveling above. XXO read more

Probably one of the last authentic Parisian Bistrot / Brasserie !!! Indeed, almost all Parisian bistros left the scene in place of fake preprepared foods and meals that are catered with one and only goal in mind, profit. Not to blame the trend, the overall situation of taxes and cost of employment in France is pitiful and can easily justify it. However, that change has promoted the business man to the rank of restaurateur and not the other way around. Resulting in a thirving and booming food and beverage economy, however, this implies much higher prices for much lesser quality foods almost everywhere. Besides, all of this food got bland, and copycats for one place to the next. Le Comptoir du Relais however proves that this is not the only option. They have succeeded at staying authentic, and at keeping the Parisian spirit alive. Indeed this place thrives with authenticity and demonstrate that simple food can be delicious. The places invite you naturally to become a heavy wine drinker as spirit surrounding the small restaurant makes you want to stay, converse, eat and drink without ever leaving. The food is great, the wine offering is interesting, and the true grumpy French yet charming is all over the place. If you are in for a good French experience just GO!!! read more

This past weekend was my third trip to Paris during my semester in Geneva and who knows when I'll be back again, so I had to find the perfect meal as a send off from my favorite city in the world. My friends and I sought out Le Comptoir du Relais after hearing Anthony Bourdain call it the perfect Parisian bistro, and I have to agree with him. We waited in line for about fifteen minutes before getting a table, and the hostess was rude and flustered - the only downfall of our experience. However, we quickly brushed it off as we explored the extensive wine and entrées menu. I was impressed with all of the selections, but chose a classic half roasted chicken with mashed potatoes. Both were cooked to utter perfection, perfectly seasoned and mouth watering. The highlight of the resto had to be the specials written on the large mirror as you walk in. My friend ordered fried eggs with white truffles and toasted pine nuts, and it was one of the most beautiful yet simple meals I have tasted in Paris. If you go here, make sure that at least one person from you party orders something from this mirror list, for they'll have the freshest ingredients and most attention of the chefs. We opted for dessert at l'Avant Comptoir right next door, but this bistro is a true gem and quite the Parisian experience for any die-hard foodie or francophile alike. read more

Off the train from London at 13.00; in our pied-a-terre by 14.00; lunch at Le Comptoir by 14.30. We were on a mission. And apparently we were the first Americans to make the sojourn to Le Comptoir on something other than the advice of one Anthony Bourdain. Over the holidays Le Comptoir ran their bistro menu with their normal first-come-first-served policy. And it turned out the be one of the top values we found in our eight days in Paris (read: we ate there three lunches in four days). The first and third visits, we didn't have to wait. I was surprised by the number of people who gave up opportunities to sit just because they wanted to sit inside. Hey, beggars can't be choosers! Plus, they have heaters and blankets outside. And being able to watch the passers-by on the street was icing on the cake. Anyway, the food was amazing by almost all accounts. My favourite was the beef daube. It was one of the heartiest and warming stews I've ever had. Among other great picks were the chicken terrine, milk braised pork, boudin blanc, and a carafe of house red for ten euros. The staff was obviously very rushed, but were on top of just about everything. By our third visit, though, you could see the hectic schedule of the week was starting to grate some nerves. Other than that, this place is near perfection. Can't wait to come back for dinner on another visit. read more

The most disappointing meal during a 10 day stay in Paris. Service was mediocre, perfunctory at best. The food left so much to be desired: Foie gras - a delicious start that we shared with another American couple seated at the adjacent table. Salad was fine, nothing to rave about. Both the steak and lamb were returned as they were seriously overcooked. The waiter was fluent in English; we ordered both medium rare. As he returned them, we could hear an argument emanating from the kitchen, between him and Chef, and we were seated outside, on the sidewalk! Bad form. The replacement dishes were fine; the quality of the meat was not there. I eat grassfed at home, so that was not the issue. Just bad. Bottom line, stay clear. I don't get the hype! At all. read more

After spending the better part of the morning and early afternoon at the Arc de Triomphe, Eiffel Tower, and Sacré Coeur, I wanted to squeeze in one last proper meal in Paris before boarding my train back to the UK. However, finding a restaurant to eat at on a summer Sunday afternoon is actually quite difficult. Many restaurants -- and other businesses, too, for that matter -- are closed on Sundays. Add to that the fact that many businesses close for several weeks at the end of July and August, and you end up with very few restaurants open for business to many summertime tourists. Passing many shuttered restaurants and cafés, I wandered around a bit aimlessly until I stumbled upon Le Comptoir du Relais, a bustling place that I remembered reading about during the time I was planning out my trip to Paris. Deciding not to chance finding another open restaurant, I opted to eat here in spite of the rather intimidating all-French menu. I was seated outside, and, after struggling fruitlessly to make sense of the menu, I ended up ordering two dishes that sounded familiar enough to me. As if I hadn't had enough foie gras from the previous day at Christophe and Café Constant, I decided to start off with another plateful of unadulterated cholesterol and fat, aka duck liver. Two hefty slices of liver were plated with a wedge of dijon-topped lettuce and an apple-like spread, both of which helped to cut through the richness of the liver. While I would have preferred brioche to have accompanied the foie gras as opposed to the toasted baguette, the dish was tasty lip-smackingly good nonetheless. While PETA might call foie gras a "delicacy of despair," I can assure you that I was feeling nothing but pure joy and elation as I devoured every last bit of foie gras. Suck it, PETA. Unable to make sense of the main courses listed on the menu, I went with the safe choice and simply ordered a Croque Monsieur. In retrospect, this was a bad call on my part, as I probably could have asked the waitress for help in picking out a dish more exciting than something that amounts to nothing more than a glorified (albeit tasty) ham and cheese sandwich. Slices of ham, cheese, and bechamel sauce were sandwiched between two slices of golden brown brioche. Was it good? Sure. But was it what I wanted for my last meal in Paris? Probably not. After seeing the diner at the adjacent table enjoying a Coffee Crème Brûlée, I knew I just had to order it. Think about how delicious crème brûlée is on its own, and then add to that the soothing touch of a smooth and rich coffee flavor. If there was ever a dessert to call luxurious, this would be it. Silky smooth and oh-so-decadent, this was the dessert of my coffee-loving dreams and was the perfect ending to my three-day weekend in Paris. Because I opted for the safe, less intriguing dishes at Le Comptoir du Relais, I can't say that I have a very good basis to judge the restaurant's cuisine. But of the food that I did sample, it was all tasty and well-prepared. The waitress -- a gray-haired, motherly-type -- was extremely friendly. If I should ever find myself back in Paris, I will be sure to stop by again and try some of the other dishes on their menu. read more

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We came here twice while on vacation in Paris. I'm not sure it deserves all the hype, but overall it's a solid place for a bite to eat, or afternoon drinks and dessert. + Wine/beverage choices. Go for the house options, they're fairly good. + Decent mains. I found the meat choices a little too rich for my taste, but portions were huge for the price. + Great dessert. If anything come here for that. - Small, cramped seating - Rushed service Tip: If you don't like to wait you have two choices - either show up at 11:50 or come after 15:30. Anytime in between is a 30-40 minute wait outside. read more

With the popularity of this place, do yourself a favor and come for lunch or be prepared to wait. French-only menu and staff has limited english, friendly enough... Everything here was fantastic. We ate lunch from the brasserie menu. We started off with oeufs mayonnaise and it changed the way I feel about eggs! So rich creamy, smooth, deliciousness served with a side of sea salt. We also had the cream of asparagus soup, poularde au pot and cochon de lait braise et roli. Everything was delicious, but the cochon was ridiculous! Superb quality and great value for the city too. If you are looking for a snack and a drink or a crepe, check out L'Avant Comptoir next door. read more

I have lunch at this restaurant every time I am in Paris and have very much enjoyed the food, but this last time I was so disappointed as the food was awful. I ordered the Plat du jour which was veal and it was impossibly tough, could not cut it with my knife, let alone chew it. When I mentioned it to my server she just shrugged her shoulders and said "sorry", no offer to replace. I certainly could have escalated this, but sometimes you just don't want to take it there so I sipped my wine, chewed on the bread and decided I would pay the bill and never return. I liked this restaurant as it was a nice mix of Parisians and tourists and usually one of the locals was kind enough to give me recommendations on the menu, the servers do not or will not speak English, the menu is in French and they are rather indifferent and not at all helpful, I get that I am in France and they speak French, so not assuming they should, but they are indifferent, bordering on rude, I always came because the food was so great, not any more, skip this place, whatever it was at one time, it is no more. read more

I think bourdain made the place look way diffrent then what it is It's a good place .... Worth the wait but don't put that expectation Food is ok not that great Wine .... Unless you are planing to spend 80 euro Buy the house wine in caraf read more

Notoriously difficult to get into. We lucked out walking by at 11:55am one day, saw we would be 3rd in line (no reservations at lunch, doors open at noon) done deal! Food was hearty, generous, flavorful and the perfectly prepared French bistro cooking you always hope to but rarely find in Paris. You can easily pay the same for so much less. The 3 of us had the beef cheeks, suckling pig with lentilles, a smoked chicken salad, great bread, excellent draft beers and a house red. Desserts were 3 scoops of excellent ice cream and a good baba au rhum. Absolutely will come again! read more

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jammed spot with a great menu and tasty results. kind of a perfect place to sit, eat, and watch. read more

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