Restaurants and Customs in France and other Paris, France Restaurant Reviews

Restaurant Name: One favorite . . . Le Lutetia on the Ile St. Louis

Restaurants in France are required to post their menus outside. The French cruise the menus. You can do that too. Look until you find what you want at a price you like.

Most waiters in France are very professional and very proud of doing an excellent job no matter what the prices in the restaurant.

On the other hand, don't expect French waiters to introduce themselves to you when they arrive at your table. "Hi, I'm Jacques. I'll be your server today." It just won't happen. They will take your order. You will receive your order. No one will come back (when your mouth is full) and ask if everything is okay. They expect you to have enough sense to tell them if something is wrong. If there is, tell them and they will fix it. You will not see them again unless you call them. They think it is intrusive to interrupt your meal so they leave you alone to enjoy it . . . nearly forever unless you realize you won't get the bill until you ask for it. What many people regard as poor service is just a cultural difference. They will not try to hurry you. The table is yours until you ask for the check. If you don't ask for the check, you can sit there all night. Funny!

A menu in France is called a carte. The word Menu refers to a selection of courses at a fixed price that are listed on the carte. There are usually two or three choices at different prices. When you order, you simply ask for the 12 Euro Menu. If there is a choice of appetizers or any other courses, the waiter will ask your preferences, but the cheaper the Menu, the fewer your choices will be. If you like the fixed choices, it's a great bargain and one we often use.

If you don't order a Menu, you order a la Carte (or off the menu card) and it can be more expensive depending on how many courses you choose and their price.

Favorite Dish: Once in Brittany we walked into a little country restaurant and without thinking asked for the menu. After a decent interval, the waitress brought out a starter. We were quite surprised as we expected a printed menu to make our choice, i.e. the carte. This was followed in due time by a wonderful roasted chicken dish and a lovely tart. We noticed most of the people in the little restaurant were eating the same thing and that they all knew each other.

Our waitress didn't speak English; she wasn't used to dealing with tourists as all the patrons were local and to her, the menu that we asked for was the "Special Menu" of the day. They didn't have a choice of menus at different prices. Each day there was a special and that was your choice unless you ordered a la carte. Fortunately, we loved the meal . . . and quickly realized we were back in France!

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Theme: Local
Comparison: about average
Prices: US$11-20  » Currency Converter
Address: Corner of rue de Bellay and Quai de Bourbon
Directions: Ile St. Louis in Paris
4th Arrondissemont

Restaurant Name: Brasserie Lipp

There are three famous cafes near the Church of St. German des Pres, the Deux Magots, the Cafe Flore and the Brasserie Lipp. All are mentioned in literature and connected to the marvelous era when Hemingway was in Paris. We decided to ignore the fact that they are considered tourist traps and eat in one of them just to say we'd been there.

We couldn't find the posted menu at Deux Magots and it was very crowded. Cafe Flore was crowded beyond all belief so we headed across the street to Brasserie Lipp where the afternoon coffee crowd had left and the evening dinner crowd hadn't arrived and got a table (after making sure we could afford it).

The waiter was very nice and seated us in the back near a table of German businessmen, a French family and a lone French woman. We were subsequently joined by another French woman with what appeared to be her grandson or young nephew. It was quiet and friendly and the waiters were friendly and efficient.

We had an excellent dinner, very well served, for more than we usually spend, but we decided it was worth it. When we left several hours later, we noticed the cafe was completely full so if you don't have a reservation, go early, 7ish perhaps.

Favorite Dish: I can't remember what we got, but it was a cold November night and we got something delightfully warm and filling. The lighting in the restaurant is such that is a warm place anyway and the three waiters in our section obviously enjoyed their work. It was warm and friendly and worth every penny we paid.

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Theme: French
Comparison: more expensive than average
Prices: US$41 and up  » Currency Converter
Phone: +33-1-45-48-53-91
Address: 6th Arrondissement near St. Germain des Pres
Directions: 151 Boulevard St-Germain, 75006 Paris
(Just down the street from St. Germain des Pres church and on the opposite side of the street)

Restaurant Name: La Petite Hostellerie in the Latin Quarter

This is a tiny hotel in the Latin Quarter with a restaurant on the ground floor. We noticed it because it was a cold, rainy November night and we wanted a nice warm cheese fondue. When we walked past this place which looks quintessentially French, we saw fondue on the menu and it looked very warm and friendly inside.

We went in and it was filled with locals and a few tourists. Several people were singles and obviously had their own tables and knew the wait staff well.

It was warm and friendly and the fondue was excellent. We later met our waitress on the street and she remembered us and stopped and chatted. I can see why people return.

UPDATE: I've read this restaurant has changed hands and reviews were mixed. We walked by a couple weeks ago and they have added tables outside that looked nice but it wasn't time to eat so we didn't check the food. We'll check it next time we're in Paris and give another update . . . or send me your opinion.

Favorite Dish: We had the cheese fondue which was on special that night. We returned two nights later and ordered from the carte. I don't remember what we each ordered but I do remember it wasn't as good as the special. I suspect if you go here that you should order the special rather than just ordering from the menu. That's what the locals did and they seemed to keep returning so that must be the trick.

It's not a bad policy for any restaurant but especially in the lower price ranges.

We plan to visit this restaurant again.

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Theme: French
Comparison: less expensive than average
Prices: US$11-20  » Currency Converter
Phone: 01-43-54-47-12
Address: 35 rue de la Harpe
Directions: It's about halfway down rue de la Harpe on the east side of the street, looks very Parisian with large glass windows and blue painted trim.

Restaurant Name: Cafe Richelieu in the Louvre

When you are going through the Louvre, it can take days. It's a wonderful gallery but huge and somewhat overwhelming. We've discovered it helps to choose a particular subject for each visit. Then we plan to either start at the Cafe Richelieu or end there. We're right in the Louvre and don't have to worry about weather or transportation.

Their daily special is usually excellent. The wait staff are wonderful. The food isn't fabulous but it is very good, certainly not institution food. I usually order quiche and a salad and it is filling and delicious.

Once I got a really good bacon quiche and several days later my husband decided to order the quiche special. It turned out to be broccoli that day. He simply does not eat broccoli. He called the waitress over and politely explained his problem. She cheerfully removed the dish and brought him his second menu choice very quickly. We've been told this isn't done in France, but it is certainly done in the Cafe Richelieu.

Favorite Dish: I usually order something small like soup and salad or quiche and salad. You are walking all over the Louvre so you're hungry but it's not much fun to walk a lot on an overly full tummy. They have a pretty good menu selection and a great view if you're by the window.

There are other restaurants in the museum including a cafe outside on the balcony when the weather is nice.

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Theme: French
Comparison: about average
Prices: US$11-20  » Currency Converter
Phone: +33 1 40 20 53 17
Address: Place du Louvre (inside the museum)
Directions: In the Richelieu Wing (upstairs)

Open from 10:15 AM to 5 PM and until 7 PM on Wednesday and Friday
Website: http://www.louvre.fr/louvrea.htm
Other Contact: info@louvre.fr

Restaurant Name: Le Louis IX

We started up rue St. Louis on l’Ile looking for lunch and ended up in Le Louis IX. It was a corner bar-brasserie but an excellent one with excellent service. It looked pretty seedy but we were really hungry and nothing else was nearby so we gave it a try. We were glad we did.

It was warm and busy inside and very friendly. The menu was all French and so far as we could tell, the waiters all spoke only French. Some tourists came in and a kindly bilingual Brit translated the menu for them.

I might add that the "facilities" were of the footprint variety, i.e. Turkish toilets, but they were clean and served the purpose.

Favorite Dish: I got a goat cheese salad and my husband got a Croque Monsieur. We both got Berthillon ice cream for dessert . . . spectacular. We originally went in just for the Berthillon ice cream (even though it was quite cold out!). The meal was really good, not gourmet, just a good lunch and the dessert was definitely gourmet. Great ice cream!

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Theme: Local
Comparison: less expensive than average
Prices: less than US$10  » Currency Converter
Address: corner of rue Saint-Louis l'Ile
Directions: On the Ile St. Louis, just walk down rue St. Louis en l'Ile and it's on a corner about halfway down the street.

Restaurant Name: Paul's Patisserie

You can get a lovely breakfast at Paul's on rue de Buci. It's a patisserie and you can certainly get delightful pastries and breads there but they also have full breakfasts and their hot chocolate is to die for. The pastries are incredible and it's got a bit of Paris ambience. We nearly always breakfast there.

Paul's is a chain and we've visited a few of them but the one on rue de Buci in the St. Germain district is the best. It's a real sit-down, utterly charming restaurant. There is one older woman waitress who is a bit moody and on her down days, she's not fun, but the others are great and she isn't always in her "mood." We absolutely love it. If you speak French it garners points with the grumpy one. LOL

If you're set on a good late breakfast though, try Paul's.

Favorite Dish: In all honesty, we go to Paul's for the hot chocolate. I am a coffee drinker and my husband is not. He found the hot chocolate and Paul's is the only place I order it. It is incredibly thick and rich, almost like hot chocolate pudding in the US.

They have several breakfast menus on offer from the usual croissant and coffee to a pretty full breakfast with eggs. You may choose a pastry from the shop although there are so many and they are all beautiful that it is difficult to choose. I usually let the waitress choose for me and I've never regretted it.

Regarding the price below, you can get a basic breakfast for well under 10 euros but if you order a large breakfast the $11-20 bracket is probably most accurate.

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Theme: Bakery
Comparison: about average
Prices: US$11-20  » Currency Converter
Address: rue de Buci
Directions: In the St. Germain district. Walk up rue de Buci and the patisserie is on the corner just past the street market.

Restaurant Name: La Bastide d'Opio

We've eaten in this little restaurant several times and every time it has been a wonderful experience. I can't believe I haven't written a review before this. It's tucked away on rue Guisarde in the St. Germain district (6th arrondissement). We first discovered it when staying nearby at Hotel Clement but since then we make a point of getting there at least once on each trip to Paris.

The decor reminds us of Provence, as it is supposed to, and the ambience is pure Provence including a very good waitstaff. It is all warm woods, Provencal fabrics, the soft sound of crickets (recorded) and an upstairs room for the overflow crowd. This is always an overflow crowd.

Favorite Dish: I love the eggplant starter and my favorite main dish is the rabbit stewed with olives. However, the last time my husband and I had duck and it was melt-in-the-mouth fabulous. The fun experience was our youngest daughter who ordered the marinated beef brochets. The shish-kabob arrived hanging on a stand suspended above her plate. We had a good laugh, grabbed our cameras and took pictures. She wrestled it onto her plate and reported it was delicious. Our older daughter got a pasta dish and loved it. I skipped dessert this time but among us, we ordered two chocolate cakes with chocolate filling and a creme brulee that were all excellent.

The menu is moderately priced and everything we've tried has been excellent. It does change with the seasons but it should.

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Theme: French
Comparison: about average
Prices: US$11-20  » Currency Converter
Phone: (0)1 4329-0184
Address: 9 rue Guisarde
Directions: Mabillon Metro station, go down rue Mabillon to rue Guisard and the restaurant is on the left about halfway down the short street.
Website: www.bistro-opio.com
Other Contact: provence@opio.com

Restaurant Name: Pain & Chocolat

This tiny patisserie / restaurant is hidden away in the 7th arrondissement not far from the Eiffel Tower. You will see few tourists here and the owners are your servers. The other patrons are regulars and they cheerfully engage you in conversation, even commenting on your choice of wine. We were looking for another restaurant and it required reservations. We had just landed so didn't have any and didn't know this particular neighborhood so we looked around and found this magical little patisserie and restaurant across the street. It was a real find!

It's larger than it looks because there is a back room and if the weather permits, there is outside seating. Madame and Monsieur are both good humored and helpful and the cooking is out of this world, including the pasteries if you just want to pop in for tea and pastry.

I think what impressed us the most was when we returned a couple times for breakfast, they remembered us. Our last day they even opened 15 minutes early so we could eat before we had to leave for the airport and they both came out to bid us bon voyage. We felt like we belonged. If anyone ever tells you Parisians are aloof or snobs, they should meet this couple; they are truly kind people.

Favorite Dish: Here's my journal entry for the first meal:

A pleasant couple runs it and she speaks quite good English. They seated us and decided on the Menu €14.50. We all agreed on osso buco du dinde (turkey) on linguine and it was great. As a starter, my husband got a caprese and the rest of us got paté a la campagne . . . again, excellent. Our youngest & I got mi-cuit chocolat (like truffles or fondant au chocolat) while my husband and our eldest each got a citron tart. Both were delighted.

We had been given a choice of Bordeaux or Beaujolais and chose the latter to congratulations from a nearby Frenchman. It was all excellent. The restaurant filled up quickly with nearby residents and workers.

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Theme: French
Comparison: about average
Prices: US$11-20  » Currency Converter
Phone: (0)1 4550-1427
Address: 16 ave. de la Motte-Picquet
Directions: It's about a block and a half from la Tour-Maubourg Metro station. Just walk down La Motte-Picquet (away from the Seine) and it's on your right, very small.

Restaurant Name: Au Clocher de Montmartre

We ate at Au Clocher de Montmartre when we were there in May and all of us loved it. They serve food from the Auvergne. It's a small family-owned restaurant a bit off the Montmartre tourist path but an easy walk.

The food is excellent; the service warm and friendly and the prices very reasonable. The day we ate there they had a family group and one of them did many of the paintings you will see on the walls. There were lots of family photos on the walls too. There were no other tourists that day but we were warmly welcomed. I honestly can't remember if anyone spoke English but generally they can find someone to help you if you need it.

Open noon to 2:15 and 7:30 to 10:15, closed Mondays

Favorite Dish: Here's my journal entry for the day:

No tourists, all neighbors and family, friendly service and wonderful food. I got the daily special, cuisse de canard; Ed got grandmother’s chicken that was roasted to perfection; Jean had grilled salmon and Peg got chicken in a fantastic bleu cheese sauce. A find!

We were too full for dessert but the menu selections looked terrific.

The photos aren't great; I cut them from the people pics. Look at the restaurant web site to get a better idea of the place. It is just so delightfully family French and everyone there was having such a good time, very animated conversations all around us.

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Theme: French
Comparison: about average
Prices: US$11-20  » Currency Converter
Phone: 01 4264-9023
Address: 10 rue Lamarck
Directions: Facing Sacre Coeur basilique, go to your right until you find some stairs. Go down the stairs. I think rue Lamarck is the first stop on the way down. It's not far.
Website: http://www.auclocherdemontmartre.com
Other Contact: e-mail restaurant@clocherdemontm