The amuse bouche was an exceptional, pureed squash soup with a scattering of fried bread crumbs. The pan fried porcini mushrooms with chestnuts and shallots was hot, buttery, simple, and delicious. The pork cheeks braised with cider, carrots, peppered artichokes, and young carrots was rustic and exactly as a dish like this should be. The roasted veal fillet with butter, artichoke, carrot, and chanterelles was perfectly cooked and The Date ate every bit of it (to my surprise because of how large the portion was). There was nothing wrong with this meal, but I can't go above 4.4. The Date would not approve of this rating and would likely say 5 stars, but she's not writing the review. read more

Superb!!! We first heard of La Villaret from Paris By Mouth, and we are sure glad we did. We made a reservation for the evening of the Metro strike. Traffic throughout Paris was a nightmare! So I called to let them know we would be late, "no problem, we will wait for you" was the response, putting us at ease. As we were seated the first thing I noticed was a plate of pata negra, that lovely black footed Iberico ham from Spain, sliced perfectly thin. They also had ceps that evening, the French porcini, simply pan roasted with herbs, shallots and a nice jus. For plats, my wife had the skate, perfectly moist thanks to being left on its cartilage, accompanied with fresh haricot verts and a nice sauce. For me I kept with my pig theme, with a lovely, perfectly cooked, bone in black footed iberico pig pork chop with white beans and chorizo and lovely jus. I don't usually order pork in a restaurant unless it is a braise or BBQ since it is usually overcooked and dry. Not this one, it was moist and succulent. All four dishes were absolutely awesome. We had been drinking a lot of champagne and northern Rhone all week, so we wanted something different, something medium bodied and a red Burgundy seemed like the obvious choice. My problem is unlike other regions of France, Burgundy has always baffled me. Way more complicated than Bordeaux, the Rhone, Cahors, Champagne...you get the picture. Not to worry, they had two things going for me. An extensive list at all price points and a great somm to help. I told him what we were having, a price point and that we wanted something with some age. Voila, he suggested a 2009 Volnay premier cru from a small producer that I had never heard of, and probably is not available outside of France due to a limited production. At 145 euros a relative bargain. It was a perfect match and drank very well throughout the evening as it developed in the glass. My first inclination was to have it decanted, but again our somm recommended not to, and just let it develop in bottle and he was right. As I have said in many past reviews, a great somm brings so much to the dining experience! After a lovely chocolat desert we were done, but our driver was running late due to the still horrendous traffic. He called a few times to let the restaurant know he was running late and when to expect him and again, the restaurant was very helpful and accommodating. A perfect experience, off the beaten track, no Americans, lovely non-hovering classic French service. We have now been in Paris ten days and this was easily the best meal of the trip thus far. We will be back. read more

Le Villaret - Good juice!!! - French Near Me - Paris, 75

This is the perfect example of a good Paris neighborhood restaurant. The food is excellent, the wine accompanies the food very well, and the setting is very pleasant. read more

My wife and I tried this place for lunch one day, which is tucked away in a quiet back street kind of between the Bastille and the Belleville neighborhood. I had actually feasted on a pretty good pigeon here once back in 2009, so I thought it'd be worth another try. We got there really late (around 2:00) and were seated at the only open table, which had just been vacated. We all ordered from the menu formule. This first came with a small amuse bouche of potato-leek soup, followed by a starter involving a poached egg in a kind of foamy creamy sauce with julienned pancetta and finely diced bits of celery. Unlike some of the dishes we'd been getting so far on this particular Paris trip, this was actually seasoned really well and had a simple but satisfying savory flavor. For the mains, the menu formule offered two choices: my wife opted for a puff pastry tart with pieces of red mullet filet with tomato/white onion marmalade, tapenade, mixed greens, and a bit of pesto, while our friend and I got what appeared to be a braised pork knuckle (which is the shank) that came sitting in a rich sauce with a mirepoix reduction and shaved Brussels sprouts. My wife's fish tart thing smelled and tasted quite nice, though she said that at times the delicate flavor of the fish kind of had to compete with the other ingredients. But overall it was good. The pork knuckle was f-ing massive - it looked just like these heaping hunks of pork knee that are served in some Czech and Slovak restaurants, which is surprising for France, a country typically known for its smaller, more manageable portions. Two of us could have split one. The pork was insanely tender and juicy, but a bit under seasoned, though still very tasty. The gloopy sauce was better than I thought it would be. Neither my friend nor I could finish it. Overall this was an enjoyable meal, but I'm not sure we'd feel super compelled to go back. What really soured the mood, however, was when the three of us each decided to order espressos after the meal, but when we got the bill, those three espressos mysteriously came to a whopping €24! That's €8 per espresso! These espressos were good, but not that good! And this significantly jacked up the total for the bill. I'm not sure if we were being taken for a ride or if the waiter made an honest mistake, but we were too chicken with our rudimentary French to contest the bill, so we just paid up and left. read more

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My daughter was so obsessed with the mushroom soup here we ordered it twice. Great service and the six course meal was delicious. Just the right amount of french food for this American. read more

I liked this place so much, I came back a few more times. The food was always great, and so was the wine. The staff is genuine and warm. This is a wonderful, wonderful place for a nice dinner out. They take classic French dishes and make them more modern. The wine list is pricey overall but has some great values. The food is amazing -- we started with the escargot (brilliant in a cream sauce especially when paired with topinambourd), celery veloute soup (a surprisingly good combination with a cream sauce), potatoes with poached egg and truffle (good - though not as impressive as expected), and a terrine (good). Gluten-free notes: I was particularly impressed with the way the waiter guided me through which dishes I could and could not eat due to a food allergy and which the chef could modify. I've never seen such careful treatment in Paris. read more

I can't say I have a ton of experience with amazing food, but aside from my French toast desert, it was over the top amazing! We had the pre-organized truffle sampler and it was some of the best dishes I've ever had and they were paired perfectly with some delicious wine suggested by the waiter (and wasn't the crazy expensive stuff either). It felt a little pricey, but a great meal all the same! read more

Wife and I needed a good meal and our hotel pointed us to Le Villaret - located in what seems like a back alley. Had a bit of sticker shock (we had asked for a simple, somewhat inexpensive place) but then spotted the prix fix - 35e for 3 courses. So we jumped on it. It was a great choice. Starting from the amuse bouche (a parsnip soup) we had a mackeral pate and mushroom-based soup for appetizers, my wife had pork cheek and I had peppers stuffed with cod for the main, and we finished with a roasted banana dessert for me and a wine-poached pear for the wife. Each dish was a surprise - wonderfully executed and completely unexpected. We had had meals in Paris that cost 3 times as much but were only half as good. My wife's wine selection was very good as well. Highly recommended. read more

Great quality food, but very pricey! Enjoyed a delicious veal with gnocchi. Probably not worth it if you're on a budget tho?

I don't rate very many places 5 stars but my dinner here earned every one. From the top notch service to the plate scraping dessert, my hubby and I left here saying this was one of the best dinners we have had in a long time. No need to bore you with food descriptions - just trust me-everything was perfectly executed and extremely tasty. Anyplace that can make me clean my plate over what was essentially a French version of potato salad gets a 5th star from me. read more

An essential part of every visit my wife and I make to Paris: Le Villaret is an oasis on a quiet stretch of the 11th that serves rich, creative bistro cuisine. Particular highlights are the venison medallions and the various soups, neither of which ever disappoint. Service is warm and conversational, even for a couple of Americans like us, and the wine list is focused and consistent. Moreover, prices are quite reasonable relative to quality. read more

Five is not enough. After 3 weeks in Europe my boyfriend and I found this amazing restaurant and continue to proclaim this the best meal of our life. It was so good we made a reservation for the next night before paying our bill. To begin, the food of course. We started with escargot cassoulet unlike anything I had ever had; absolutely incredible. Next monkfish in langoustine broth cooked to perfection with a respect for food only the French have. They only use the freshest ingredients and they use the same discerning eye when picking out wines for their wine list. Each dish showed skill and creativity I had not encountered before. This place matches in culinary expertise the best restaurants in the world with none of the pretention and the best most knowledgable (and patient given our knowledge of the French language) staff. An absolute must go to if ever in Paris. A bit out of the way but well worth it and you will find many more hidden gems in the 11th arrond. read more

This place was fantastic - and a little bit off the beaten path. It was a tiny little restaurant that was recommended to us by our concierge, and we are so thankful we walked in. The 3-course prix fixe for 33 euro was perfect (and it's really 4 course because it was served with a tiny little mushroom soup that I'll remember forever)! Highly recommend if you want to get out of the tourist traps and eat some real, delicious french cuisine. read more

This is a wonderful, wonderful place for a nice dinner out. They take classic French dishes and make them more modern. The wine list is pricey overall but has some great values. The food is amazing -- we started with the escargot (brilliant in a cream sauce especially when paired with topinambourd), celery veloute soup (a surprisingly good combination with a cream sauce), potatoes with poached egg and truffle (good - though not as impressive as expected), and a terrine (good). The main courses were well executed and flavorful. The staff is genuine and warm. I was particularly impressed with the way the waiter guided me through which dishes I could and could not eat due to a food allergy and which the chef could modify. I've never seen such careful treatment in Paris! read more

I never write reviews but for this restaurant there is an exception and yes it took my a long time to write this. In 2016, I had the pleasure of taking myself to Paris. This trip was not only an empowering one but an enlightening and educational one to say the least. I rented an exquisite apartment four doors down from this restaurant. My second night in Paris, I decided to dine here and what an amazing experience from the hospitality to my tastebuds and so worth it. I chose to experience a several course meal which I think that every plate that was placed in front of me was a delightful dance upon my tastebuds. The staff was amazing and there are no justifiable words to express how I appreciated their hospitality and attentiveness. I stayed in Paris for two weeks and planned for my last meal to be at Le Villaret again. My second experience was no different then the first. So I experienced this restaurant twice within two weeks and I will forever hold every French restaurant to this standard of dining as I cannot express my appreciation for such great care both personally and tastefully. Thank you so much for the greatest experience. You are hands down my forever favorite restaurant! I hope to get back there some day! Celeste read more

Wonderful! Seasonal entree's prepared with attention and finesse! Love their use of fresh produce and mushrooms from local producers. Definitely a place to stop in for a nice meal. read more

Le Villaret has always been a serious restaurant, but it has had its ups and downs. It's currently superb. Probably the best restaurant in a neighborhood that is filling with excellent restaurants. read more

My husband and family just returned from what was a rather disappointing experience. I had such high hopes based on a previous experience at the "old" Villaret some years ago and, the stellar reviews all over Yelp! I knew there were problems when they seated us: at the door and, without so much as a welcoming smile. From the get go, they served my brother in law his main course, separately to us, last, and each dish was way over-salted, the portions smaller than everyone else around us. They never did get around to serving one of the dessert courses so, giving up on that, we ordered a Cheese Plate. it arrived ceremoniously enough in a caged contraption, for us to serve ourselves. Never have I had to cut and serve myself food that others were then presumably going to share in the restaurant. We wanted red wine with the cheese but they never came back! I put it down to the fact that they were packed, on a Monday night, and it seemed they had the teen crew in the kitchen, Trainees perhaps? In short, I can no longer recommend this restaurant to anyone traveling to Paris. try La Gazette, in the 16th instead! read more