Allard is an absolutely perfect spot for dinner in Paris. It is elegant yet subtle and cozy - not flashy or scene-y at all, which in my opinion is best. Incredible food and stellar service. You will have a completely delicious and delightful experience here. read more

Typically, French service is on the taciturn side, often with a heavy dose of side eye. Not so at Alain Ducasse's Allard, where the staff is positively friendly. When you enter, the kitchen is right before you, with a dining room to the right and another to the left. Smiling chefs look up from their chopping and a chorus of "bonjour"s ring out. The decor is warm country cottage with creamy dinnerware. A sound track of Charles Trenet, Edie Piaf and Frank Sinatra wafts through the restaurant. The salad frisée was amazing with enormous pieces of lardon and generous croutons, the vinaigrette perfectly balanced. I had the frog's legs and my husband had the lamb chop. Delicious. We finished with profiteroles with a chocolate sauce that was out of this world. Highly recommended. read more

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Good to excellent food but seated where the servers constantly bumped me Chair. Few spoke English.

Simply put, NEVER EAT HERE. On a recent trip to Paris, Allard was recommended to us by our hotel's concierge, which is the only reason we went. After eating the Duck Confit, I had the worst food poisoning of my life. I spent my last day in Paris in bed, and it took me nearly a full week and a prescription of Cipro to recover. To add insult to injury, our bill was $150 for our 3 course prix-fixe for two and a bottle of wine. You can surely do better than eating here. Don't put up with their pretentiousness (no menus in english, even though 90% of their business is from tourists), and risk your health by eating here. read more

Was this restaurant bad? No. I actually really enjoyed my very French meal (escargot in the shell and frog legs). But hubby didn't like the food at all - he was disappointed by his steak not only for the flavor but also for the way they cooked it (a little overdone). And the price was not cheap for a meal that was just ok. We both loved the slab that was cut from the amazing mound of butter sitting underneath a bell jar in the middle of the room. If we could have taken all of that butter back to the States without getting in trouble with customs, we would have. Bell jar and all. Why the 3 star rating? Probably the overall restaurant experience. It was very reminiscent of a restaurant we went to in Amsterdam called Greetje which touted itself as specializing in traditional Dutch food. Allard is probably very similar in that it specializes in traditional French food. But like Greetje, the interiors were not very well-kept and the food was not quite as comforting/spectacular as we were expecting. The tables are very close together and the room has a cramped feeling rather than a cozy bistro feeling. It's one of those restaurants that was probably very fancy with very good food a couple of decades ago. Now it's riding on its coattails too much, relying on its name and reputation rather than cleaning up the restaurant and making the food memorable. I have a sneaking suspicion that they put most of the tourists in the back room because all of the tables around us had patrons speaking English, which also kind of diminishes this whole "we're in France and eating at a traditional French bistro" vibe. Yeah, we're in France eating with a bunch of other American tourists, something we generally try to avoid. Overall, the experience was fine but I don't need to go back there the next time we are in Paris. read more

I don't normally rate for 3-stars as it is not bad but not great either... but rather I'm reviewing this with all the hype as having Alain Ducasse taking over the restaurant. The food was good 4**** and the service was 5**** Having now to consider the price it brings this lovely bistro down to earth with a solid 3 - sorry. The opener were brilliant - snails - wow, and the pâté en croûte was good too once it warmed up a bit. The entrées were just ok... my pork which by the way at the time of this writing is listed on their website at €52 was slightly over cooked and charged at €60! In any event, too many other great eating establishments in Paris to worry about this place. read more

Lovely staff, warm and welcoming. Service was exceptional. Dining room is intimate with a great energy. Food was outstanding. It's French classic, so you won't find refined dishes with sauce garnishes in the form of little dots around the plate. The beef cheeks came with gorgeous carrots and served in a small copper pot. The tarte tatin and profiteroles are a MUST (and I'm a professional in the pastry world) read more

While the food was quite good, this is the only meal we had in Paris in which I felt rushed to order up, eat up, and get out. We ordered both the duck with olives as well as the sole, both with hefty price tags. My fish was delicious, but my son found more than a few bones in his. The brown butter, though...so good. The desserts were also good , and who doesn't love a mountain of French butter to accompany the excellent bread? We've been to this restaurant twice, and while the meal and service has been consistently satisfactory, it seems to be missing some soul. read more

I would agree with Beth W. that there is a bit of snootiness here, but the food is definitely worth it and if you try to speak French they are somewhat patient. My husband started with melon and cured ham which came with a small tuft of mache. He thoroughly enjoyed it (although he had a similar dish at Restaurant du Vieux Four in Crillon Le Brave (Provence) earlier in our trip where the melon was more flavorful). I started with the frisee lardon salad -- these are real lardons ...crispy, somewhat fatty, and hot ... simply delicious with the red wine vinaigrette (which falls to the bottom of the serving bowl they bring it in ... make sure you spoon some of that onto your first helping of the salad). Next, my husband had the grilled salmon with a beurre blanc sauce. Coming from the Seattle area, he was a bit nervous, but this salmon was so delicate and flavorful and perfectly cooked ... bested most of the salmon he's had in Seattle. I had the duck confit and the potatoes fried in duck fat and garlic ... sooo good. The leg is cured in salt for up to 6 months (I'm guessing this one had one of the longer cure times due to its saltier flavor and darker color) and then fried in duck fat ... the skin was so crispy and yet not greasy. The duck meat was flavorful (not too salty, but close) and tender. The potatoes ... just about the best, if not the best, I've had ... crispy on the outside and tender/fully on the inside. For dessert, my husband had the profiteroles -- very nice, but nothing special. I ordered off of the a la carte menu the tarte fine aux pommes (a thin buttery crust with thinly sliced apples and more butter with sugar) ... they didn't cook mine long enough so the middle was still just a touch doughy (the french gentleman next to me had one that looked and smelled just divine -- browned all over). I took the rest of mine back to our apartment where I'm going to reheat it with just a bit more butter and sugar! Overall, one of best meals we've had in Paris. read more

Located in Saint-Germain, Allard is food prepared and served to absolute perfection. Eating at this quintessential French bistro was an experience taking you back in time. The salmon, salade Lyonnaise, and Ile flottante à la vanille were outstanding. Alain Ducasse will seduce you on an unforgettable culinary journey! www.restaurant-allard.fr read more

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The food is fantastic. Had the escargot & herring appetizer (huge portions) and the beef steak & salmon entree. Dessert was the Tarte tartin and profiteroles. No complaints about the food, I can see why this restaurant is highly recommended because it's just good simple, home cooked french style. The beauty of it is that it's nothing fancy or extravagant which is refreshing amongst all the shi-shi places in the city. If you want a change from some fine-dining, eat here. Set in an older restaurant. I have to say that space is quite cramped. Was seated in a corner table which was fine for me space wise. But I can see if you're a larger person...it can be quite uncomfortable. The close-ness can be awkward for some, but I ended up striking up a wonderful conversation with my neighboring table mate for the whole meal. Wouldn't have been possible if tables were spaced further apart. Service was attentive and on target with my expectations. The staff were friendly, accommodating and down to earth. read more

Our first meal after arriving in gay Paris, and what a good start. Subtle service, and excellent food.

Had planned to go for Sunday night dinner, but our plans changed to Monday lunch. How nice we thought, we can enjoy 34 euros menu lunch. That was not to be. Were told they were not serving it due to holiday. More money for them! You walk in door and think you are entering kitchen. Tables are in rooms to right and left. We were on right side with tables packed together. Given cucumbers in salty vinegarette as amusee. Ordered endive salade, which was really not endive but frisée with bacon and rock like croutons. We ordered duck to share 38 .euros per person. Nice presentation. Overkill on olive garnish. Must have been 50. Duck breast more than a little rare and difficult to slice. Nice flavor. Two small legs, may be from another duck, ( almost confit) very tasty. Thighs were so undercooked as to be unateable . When mentioned to waiter were told that is how chef cooks them. When I gently disagreed, he told me I should have asked to have them cooked more. I said I did not believe they should have been served raw. The customer isn't always right! At that point we decided not to have dessert where staff was so unpleasant. A table of a family with two children ordered filet mignon and fries. Meat raw and no ketchup available for children on their fries. I will not be returning read more

Allard - Lots of ikives - French Near Me - Paris, 75

I was not impressed. The reviews were good, but as far as I'm concerned, my experience did not live up to the praise. Service was unspectacular. The restaurant itself looked like it needed a thorough scouring. Perhaps it's part of its charm, but honestly, it just seemed like it lacked serious attention. Tables are narrow and too small to handle normal plate-ware, glasses, and utensils. We were constantly having to move things around to make room for all courses. Bread & butter were OK. For appetizers we had the escargot, and the dish was heavily seasoned and salty. Same for the frogs legs. My entree was the beef bourgignon. I've prepared it myself so wanted to see how it might be prepared at Allard. The sauce was salty, the beef was all over the place - tender pieces mixed w/ chewy chunks. I'll stick to my own recipe. Desserts were ordered and shared, again, Not impressive. I don't recommend this place. Our bill was a lot larger than expected, definitely not worth the price. read more

There is nothing good to say about this restaurant. My wife and I began by being seated at a table by the windows which totally blocked the table next to us. Was asked to move by wait staff each time they were servicing the table. We finally moved our self to another table. Signature duck dish and steak very tuff and way over cooked causing them to be totally inedible. The signature rum pound cake was smothered in rum table side. When I asked the manager for a replacement piece he said what do you expect it is rum cake. After three request he finally replaced it. Seriously save your money and go somewhere else. read more

From start to finish, the service and food was horrible. It took over 20 minutes to get a drink and it was prepared wrong. Next, the food was undercooked. We had to send back all 3 steaks and they all came back like rubber. The sole meunière was cold, thick and chewy. Then they forgot our next order of drinks. Extremely disappointing especially with Ducasse as an owner. Plus an attitude by the manager. C'est horrible! read more

So, we had lunch today. With a week in Paris, this was the best, of possibly second best meals we had. First, the owner is chef Alain Ducasse, a world class restaurateur. He has several other places in the city and around the world, including 2 and 3 Michelin starred restaurants. Since I am a chef and owner of a catering company, and have cooked in French restaurants, I am somewhat knowledgeable and somewhat critical.therefore, when I looked into the kitchen and saw a group of Serious, skilled French Chefs, I was very heartened. Turns out the meal lived up to my expectations and more. We were started with a small amuse Bouche of a cucumber salad with a light vinaigrette. An excellent start to the meal. Light, crunchy, and perfectly seasoned. We followed that with an excellent country pate, and the best plate of snails I have had. The sauce was garlicky, full of parsley, and rich with butter. Exceptional. For entree we a terrine of foie gras, which was an excellent version- smooth and flavorful. Accompanied by thin, warm toast. The other entrees were a very tasty Pork belly with an incredibly smooth and rich sweet potato purée with a sprinkling of toasted hazelnuts. Our last entee was a seared a seared pollack filet with seared white asparagus. Excellent! Good as all that was, the desert was even better. A dish described as lemon cream was a revelation. Rich, creamy, lemony, and topped with diced strawberries with a little berry sauce. Of course the room is very pretty, and the services was attentive and courteous. Although we only ordered the inexpensive lunch prix fixe menu, and did not order wine, the Staff could not have been more courteous and gracious. I understand this is an expensive restaurant. I would not recommended this restaurant if you are not comfortable with paying high prices for superb food and superb service. this is Michelin quality food and ambiance and service, and if you do the lunch prix fixe, sure to be a wonderful deal. I will go back any time I am in Paris and recommend it highly to any other knowledgeable diners. read more

We went here for our anniversary night and was super excited as we had heard great things and read about it while we were in Paris. What disappointed us was the service and the chicken which was their "known" dish. We also got potato croquettes and they were mushy and filled with butter and no flavor which was very underwhelming. We also had to keep pouring our own wine since no one was paying any attention to our table. As a cherry on top, we asked for a photo and the sommelier he just walked away looking at us (he heard us). Also, because we chose this restaurant for our special occasion (and they knew this), they didn't offer a glass of champagne or dessert to celebrate our big night - at the end when they asked how it was, we were very honest and they did not like it very much (can you blame us)? We paid $200 for this?? Very very disappointing. I would suggest paying $200 somewhere else. read more

There was a time in America when my Dad's 1972 Cadillac was the state of the art in automobiles. Today we know that technology and improved quality of the parts have made my Pop's old De Ville obsolete. Like a car, a restaurant must evolve in order to survive. It must constantly improve its ingredients, freshen menus, or improve the decor. Allard is a Coupe De Ville in a Tesla world. It is sad, but true. They failed to evolve and now find themselves behind with an aging local clientele and older tourists. Another issue: Allard needs to move their location. I know, it has been in Saint Michele since the dawn of man but that area is now Paris' version of Bourbon Street. It is not the right location for a nice restaurant. There are too many shorts and tee shirts, too much loud music, and a lot of ugly tattoos. Like the old Cadillac, the decor is a blast from the past. It doesn't look like it's changed since the 70's. That is OK as long as stuff isn't falling apart. A chair across from us was tattered, for example. There has been some back and forth about Allard having an outdated menu vs. traditional French. My big issue isn't with the menu. There is a market and a need for a traditional French menu. A fillet is classic and delicious now as it was 40 years ago if you select a great cut and cook it properly. Allard cooked my wife's steak properly but it wasn't a cut that I would expect at a top eatery. Likewise, my Lamb Chops were well cooked but not the best cut. Both were tougher than they should be. Allard needs to upgrade and select the only best ingredients but they don't. read more

We stumbled upon this restaurant and were to surprised to hear it was an Alain Ducasse establishment. Of course we made reservations for lunch that very same day. Unfortunately we were poorly treated and no explanation of the menu was made. We were not expecting a thorough explanation just a bit of assistance would have been nice. As result we ordered incorrectly and they did not even bother to point out that there was a lunch prix fixe menu. We actually would have chosen from the normal menu anyway but it would have been nice to know. The foie gras entree was nothing exceptional. Our main dish "onglet du boeuf" was basically a big blob of meat enough for two people at least. If this had been explained we certainly would have shared. They gave us normal Knives making it impossible to cut the meat...we had to ask for proper steak knives. The accompanying spring potatoes were blah and the bearnaise sauce was nothing special. We could not wait to leave and thank goodness it is not considered strange to request a doggy bag in France anymore. read more

Calme upon strong recommandations; while FOOD was very good (eventhough the Duck with olives was a bit on the tuf side), the front of the house i.e. The manager, lacks a welcoming attitude. Typical Heavy use of butter.., to the point that IT is too much But the FOOD was very good! PS. Make réservations AND BE ON TIME!!!! or else read more

This was one of our best meals in Paris. My husband thought his escargot was incredible. I had the melon and ham which was excellent. For entrees, he had the beef bourgenone and I wanted to steal it. However, my grenouilles were the best I have ever had. It was very crowded the evening we were there but our server was very competent. I am used to the typical French waiter attitude and did not find his service rude or snotty at all. If you are nearby, this is an excellent restaurant to try traditional French food. read more

My wife and I dined here on our last night in Paris and we were thrilled with the traditional French cuisine. Our server was very attentive and the sommelier very helpful with an excellent wine pairing with our entrees. All aspects of the meal were delicious from the salad, escargot, fillet and veal shortbreads to the brandy soaked cherries topping off our meal. A great way to finish off our trip to France! read more

Very disappointed. I was a big fan of this place for all the right reasons but last night was bad. Escargot were not hot. In fact, they were room temperature. Food was good but was extremely late. "New waiter and new cook" was the explanation but for an establishment like this it was inexcusable. I brought new colleagues here and it was extremely disappointing. read more

Wonderful. Try the apple tart and escargot.

We had a great dining experience at Allard. It has the feel of an authentic no frills French restaurant but with all of the atmosphere and sense of history one would want to feel in a French restaurant. With an entrance facing a small street in the area of the area of Saint Michel, the feel of the restaurant is established as soon as you enter. The small kitchen is the first thing you see with the mostly female chef staff cooking away on the stovetop. The restaurant is cramped and full of diners at 9 pm. We were led to our seat on a bench in a small room where my wife and I had a great view of the rest of the room with decor harkening back to a different era. A starter of fresh cucumbers in a light dressing was brought. Then it was on to a dozen escargot served in the very traditional manner cooked in garlic and butter. Duck foie gras, buttery and served with baked apricots was delectable. The next course was frog legs, served in the hot cast iron pan in which they had been sautéed. The other entree was the sweetbreads served with tiny potatoes, carrots, green beans and other vegetables. Excellent, especially the gravy. For dessert profiteroles with a chocolate sauce kept warm over a silver container of hot water. The chocolate was so pure it was almost sour. Our waiter was attentive and when my wife accidentally knocked over her champagne, he quickly offered to replace it for free. We Simply enjoyed it from beginning to end for what seemed like antithetical French dining experience. For a less expensive authentic experience with food equally as good, I recommend Comptoir de Gastronomie Foies Gras at 34 Rue Montmartre, though the escargot at Allard was far superior. The seared Foies gras at Comptoir is an experience at only 18 euro. read more

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We had an amazing dinner at Restaurant Allard and highly recommend it! The sommelier suggested a fantastic wine that went incredibly well with our meal which was a great start to the experience. The escargot were well prepared and extremely flavorful. The duck with olives is a must and was as good as advertised. We finished the meal with the meringues in cream and an espresso, a perfect cap to the night! Great from start to finish! read more

My husband I have come to Chez Allard each time we have traveled to Paris. We love the consistently great food and romantic ambience. The escargot is to die for! You will not be disappointed. read more

Two words. Garlic. Snails. Get them. So so so so so so good. Really lovely and authentic feel about this place. Can see why it's so popular.

Although you may experience some typical French snoot-ery here, the food is well worth it. I had the Poulet "de brasse" Roti and it was magnificent. Succulent, juicy and perfectly complemented with the fried potatoes. When we were overwhelmed by the wine menu, our waiter offered to choose our wines for us and did a decent job. The food is a little on the pricey side, but the portions were filling and well worth it. We tried the profiterales for dessert, which aren't really my thing, but they were pretty delicious, as well. read more

Once a truly great restaurant, now a horrible tourist trap!!! I used to go to Chez Allard decades ago (always a wonderful experience) but not in the last 10 years. I went last night with some friends , and it was appalling. I don't know where to start. They are coasting on a reputation that has long since expired. The prices are obscene, and the whole thing is clearly catered to clueless tourists who won't come back. We ordered their signature dish - canard aux olives. It used to be a rich casserole of roast duck smothered in green olives that were roasted along with it. Well, no more. What we got was a totally undercooked and flavorless duck (so raw on the inside that it was bloody and inedible) topped (clearly at the last minute) with some supermarket quality green olives which obviously never interacted with the duck or vice versa. It was disgusting, it was FAKE. We also ordered a fish with white asparagus. The fish (needed a magnifying glass to see it) was cold on delivery and totally flavorless, and surrounded by three skinny stalks of burned asparagus. Awful. Oh and did I mention (oh, yes, I did) that the prices were obscene? We knew that the restaurant had been sold but we had no idea how bad that turned out to be (Alain Ducasse, really??). The tipoff should have been that in our dining room no one (!) spoke French. Save your euros. Have fun. Stay away!!! read more

I give this slightly higher reviews than Benoit, mainly because the staff at Allard were very friendly. The food was about the same as Benoit, as were the prices. But the wait staff was very fun and friendly and that made for a better night all around. But, based just on the food/price, I again say that Allard is good, but not as good as its prices suggest. But a fun night and that's what eating out is all about. read more

Highly recommend the roasted chicken at this beautiful St Germaine spot. My family of four was able to get last minute reservations and enjoyed a delicious three course meal. Steak and frites was delicious as was the sole. read more

Food was A+, other than that it was a B- / C+ experience. - Unless you are an adult French-national bourgeoisie, you are exiled to the back room. French parents and kids? American adults? Back room for you! - Tables are VERY close, but arguably that is part of the bistro experience (right??). - Other reviewers comment on rushed service. I did not experience or see that, but service is much more prompt than most French restaurants. - My food was as good as it gets, and others' food (less than two feet from my face) smelled and looked wonderful. I disproportionately weight food, thus my four stars: 5 for food, 3 for everything else. read more

Absolutely disgusted. We went there a week ago on a Monday night. Needless to say the place was crowded but not unpleasantly so. That wasn't the problem! Our waitress was nice and accommodating, that wasn't the problem. The food was good, not exceptional though very expensive (for the four of us the bill was over 400€ Euros!) NO the problem was the manager. As soon as we had ordered dessert he sent the bill to our table and when we had paid the bill, barely finishing our desserts he came over and said he had a party waiting for our table would we please leave!!!! After spending 400€ we were not even given a moment to relax and enjoy the ambiance and our coffee's !!!! Disgusting little man and the reason we will never go there again!!! This was after spending two (2) weeks exploring all of France from the Riviera to Normandy and finding everyone, EVERYONE very friendly and courteous, at most restaurants you have to ASK for the bill as they DON'T want to rush you out given the French view that dining should be a relaxing and enjoyable experience. NEVER AGAIN ALLARD AND YOU CAN BELIEVE NONE OF OUR FRIENDS OR ASSOCIATES WILL COME THERE EITHER!!!! read more

Totally overpriced and not that good! Was thoroughly disappointed. My mom got the hare and asked if it was intended to be sour. They replied that it was the taste of the blood and it's always like that. They should warn people! The wait staff doesn't clean up places before the next course arrives. Overall, much too expensive for what it was read more

The worst meal I ever had The staff was arrogant and dismissive. The food awful. They made you feel they are doing you a favor The present is obviously nothing like the past we read about I had a feeling they seat the tourists in one room and the French in another Save your money read more

We just returned from two weeks in France of which we spend half in Paris. During the entire trip we had dinner out every evening and every evening but one did we find value and atmosphere. That exception was the highly rated Allard. To put it simply, it is a tourist trap. Overpriced, turning over tables as quickly as possible and giving the misleading impression (if you look through the windows while strolling by during the day) that the atmospheric room in the front is where you will be dining. Instead, you are squeezed into a back room filled with fellow Americans, often accompanied by their children. If you don't mind assembly line dining, a la Francais, then Allard in the place to go. Otherwise, you will likely do better going to almost any reasonably priced bistro in Paris. read more

This place is an institution. I've been going to Andre Allard, now Restaurant Allard for 30 years and have the duck with olives each time I dine here. I've turned my niece into a devote, as well. The comments about the restaurant needing a scouring, well...It's very old. If that translates into dirty, then most places in Paris would not meet muster. Its paneled walls and cozy but refined atmosphere (close tables) harkens back to another age. I appreciate that they have kept this place as it has been. Is it a throwback? Yes. Does that appeal to everyone? Well, that depends. If you want a newer, gleaming restaurant that serves nouvelle or modern cuisine, don't go. If you're looking for a little Midnight in Paris, Allard is for you. It's transportive. Close your eyes and let your imagination go....a carriage may just pull up and men in top hats might emerge. The service is Parisian. Nobody is going to come to your table grinning and tell you their name is Tyler and they'll be your server this evening. What a relief! read more

We have been dining here when in Paris for about 30 years with some wonderful meals like one on New Years Day and others like TODAY which was terrible. Had to send my frog's legs back as they were burnt and my husband's halibut was INedible. What is going on--has the chef died? Will not come again. Sad. read more