I love this place! My husband and I always come here when we come to Paris. We were on a quest to find the best croissant and we need to look no further. Come at 8 AM and they are hot right out of the oven. My server was delightful and every bit of food is just incredible. I also love the way the place looks. It's a step back in time and all original. Thank you for my historical experience of how all Parisian café should be. read more

Positive all around. Pleasant & Friendly staff with comfortable seating indoors that avoids smoking diners outside. I ordered Navy Tea cocktail and it was delicious. For dinner I highly recommend the French onion soup, Argentina Ribeye with the green beans! Everything was delicious read more

Café Central - Navy Tea cocktail - Cafes Near Me - Paris, 75

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Appears to be a typical Parisian cafe but the service is rude and terrible. There is a bald waiter who rushed us and was rude to us. This place doesn't deserve your business. They treat tourists poorly. Food was average. read more

This is the quintessential Parisian sidewalk cafe. They sit on the Rue Cler, the perfect foodie paradise within a paradise. We breakfast here every time we come to Paris and they never disappoint! Fabulous croissants, hot chocolate and eggs for a little protein to offset the carbs! Come early for an intimate experience and watch the neighborhood wake up around you. At 7am the croissants are hot out of the oven! read more

Just had a croissant and hot cocoa. It was wonderful. I left and went shopping along the street. I realized I didn't have my bag. I thought I left it at Cafe Central. I went back to the restaurant. My bag was not there. They immediately showed me a camera where I did not have my bag when I arrived so I must have left it at the hotel. I was so impressed with how helpful they were to me. I did leave the bag at the hotel. So, not only is the food great but the staff are amazing. read more

Good pasta and pizza. Happy hour is very good, discounted drinks! Must try escargo! Ambience is good as well Jamba in week ends. read more

Café Central - Escargo, funghi, fussilone - Cafes Near Me - Paris, 75

Everything was excellent! Loved the charcuterie starter, the fusilli bolognese and the few desserts I shared with the table. Great atmosphere and Awesome service from our waiter, Thibealt!!! read more

Café Central - Fusilli Bolognese special of the day. Delicious!!! - Cafes Near Me - Paris, 75

My lunch at Café Central one recent Sunday in February 2023 was one of the best of my solo trip to Paris. The staff were welcoming and friendly. I sat on the closed-in terrace which was blessedly no-smoking! I enjoyed the chicken paillard with arugula and a squeeze of lemon, accompanied by piping hot French Fries and fresh baguette, which was delicious. The glass of Sancerre went with it nicely. Afterwards, a frothy cappuccino hit the spot! Highly recommend!! read more

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Had a late snack French Onion soup hit the spot! Made perfectly ,definitely worth coming here. French fries like fresh cut potatoes and guacamole dip and chips fresh . Service was wonderful. read more

Café Central - French Onion soup - Cafes Near Me - Paris, 75

Another amazing restaurant during our visit! You know it's a good place when waiters don't need to write down your orders even if it's a group of 7+! They were accommodating and very professional. We originally wanted an outdoor table but changed our mind last minute. They didn't have a problem with it and moved us right away. It doesn't seem like a kid-friendly spot at first but they actually have a high chair and menu is kid friendly in my opinion. My 2yr old enjoyed the steak and fries! I didn't plan on drinking alcohol but wth, why not! So glad I did! This passionfruit vodka cocktail was such a hit! We had to order a second round! Service was very quick even though they were very busy for a Friday night. We were all very satisfied with our experience. I'd love to come back next time we're in Paris. read more

Café Central - Angus Flank Steak --9/10 recommend! - Cafes Near Me - Paris, 75

This restaurant was right by my hotel, so it was easy to walk there and have dinner one night before I went to the moulin rouge. The food was delicious, and the porn star drink they serve here is to die for!!! The service was a little slow, but that may be normal for French restaurants. However, for a drink, Croquet Monsieur, and egg rolls, this place was a little bit on the pricey side. read more

Café Central - Cafes Near Me - Paris, 75

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Très agréable terrace et personnel plaisant. Le décor nous replonge dans l atmosphère des bistros d autrefois. Very nice terrace - The personnel are very welcoming and professional. The décor reminder us of the very authentic Cafe at the beginning of the century. read more

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The staff are friendly and English speaking. The seating inside their heated heated enclosed patio was warm and allowed window views of all the foot traffic on Rue Cler. The dessert - chocolate mouse was very good. The steak and fries were okay...fries were cooked good and the steak looked good with some crisp on outside but was average on taste. The wine and ambience was good. read more

Café Central - Cafes Near Me - Paris, 75

The service was very good, they were all extra nice. The prices are extremely high 7 euros for a soda for example - we were going to have 4 course dinner but after we totaled the price well over 100 euros we cut way back. The food was good. Not oh my god which I expect for the price (pizza is 22 euros wow) I could easily find food just as good for way less money read more

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TOURISTS BEWARE. These guys are SCAMMERS!! DO NOT go to Cafe Central they took advantage of us and lied on the amount of glasses of wine we had!! When we confronted our waiter he said he was "100% positive" he gave us 4 champagne glasses. Well let me tell you it's quite easy to count since our "first round" was air. He just placed the glasses down empty and walked away, he then returned and asked if we wanted a refill. Confused, and chalking it up to language barrier we agreed. He then said he and the manager were going to check their security footage to confirm that we had been given 2 rounds. He then returned in roughly 2 minutes saying the video confirmed it. Not sure how you could confirm a 1.5hr meal of video footage in 2 minutes, but if you're on coke like our waiter, anything is possible. Wanting to leave and not make a scene we settled on paying for one extra glass, which I regret entirely. If I can convince one person through this review not to go here, then I will feel better. PLEASE DO NOT VISIT THESE SCAMMERS! There's a reason it's not busy during prime time. read more

The food is super good and the service is great. I highly recommend the onion soup-it's amazing! The place is at a great location and the restaurant is cozy and has a great atmosphere. Definitely recco read more

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Veal chop was by far one of the best dishes Ive ever had.... I crave it now. Then too top it off with French Toast for dessert..... Oh Lord , I went straight to heaven read more

The food is ok. But there are some nasty waiters that will add extras on your bill without noticing or be very rude if you are not to consume a big meal. This has happened to my partner and I and we witnessed how they charged someone for three glasses of wine when they bRely served one. With so many brasseries options around. Don't waste time in this place that also has mice. read more

Great lunch! Had a chicken paillard with green beans. The green beans were sooo good, they had butter on them of course. We had a beet burrata salad that was delicious as well. My daughter had a pizza. It was good but had arugula so picky eaters beware . Service was excellent . Had a great dry white wine to accompany. I'd go again! read more

An unfortunately wack experience at a restaurant I wish my family and I had steered clear of but it was late and conveniently located and still open and serving. Here's the story: dining out, on vacation of course, with my wife and sister-in-law and her husband and we sit and place our order. A couple of us order glasses of champagne. The waiter, who I honestly suspect was taking key bumps all evening tipped off by his erratic behavior and sniffling nose, brought two empty glasses. Never filled with any liquid never mind the champagne we requested. Time goes by, our food arrives which is also incorrect and at this time we are asked if we wanted another round of champagne which we say yes to while attempting to explain that we had not received our first round. He shows up with a bottle, pours and we down the glasses because, again, we are on vacation and trying to enjoy ourselves. Anyway the bill comes and on it is 4 glasses of champagne. Here's where things get weird. I know this is going to be an uphill battle. I'm a tourist. I don't know the language. I feel embarrassed to bring the error up but we try to explain that we only consumed two glasses, the first round was never poured and never consumed and so on but the waiter is adamant. So adamant he says that his manager agrees to review the video footage from the security system. I know we're in for it now. He returns and tells us it is impossible that we didn't drink four total glasses since we were captured on video. At this point I know he is a liar and that is not an accusation is throw around lightly. I am also certain there is no winning this exchange. We are defeated and confused and disappointed and I hate writing reviews but if you're on vacation in Paris and looking for a quick place to eat a late dinner I would suggest skipping this joint. Generally bad vibes. Food was fine, nothing special, there were better restaurants within eyeshot of this one. We just chose wrong and paid the price. Godspeed travelers. read more

3.5 stars Food: not as much classic French food as you might expect from a café opening onto the street in Paris. Not much on the menu I, as a tourist looking for Parisian classics, was dying to try. They had more what I would call American-friendly food than I expected or frankly wanted: poké bowl, burgers, pizza. I got a flank steak and frites w/hollandaise sauce. Not bad. Also in my party was poké bowl (well executed) a Thai noodle bowl w/beef (also well executed), and sea bass (not what I would call sea bass in USA but maybe there's a European sea bass, but it looked bland and lame) Price: this is where they lost me. Croque monsieur w/frites €17 (It's €12 two doors down). Burger w bacon €23, pepperoni pizza €21, steak frites €23,5. Pastries €12. I think that's crazy. The prices made it feel like a tourist trap, though there were a lot of what appeared to be locals in the mix. Not our worst Paris experience, but not our best. Server: was solid. read more

This was one of those should I give it a 3 star or 4 star rating type of situation but since there is no 3.5 I went with 4 because the food was admittedly good. My first night in Paris and I decided to eat dinner here. It was good but it is severely overpriced. The service was good as well. Our waiter was nice but very busy. He was the only server along with some bus boys to help which made having to flag him down a bit annoying. Food: Veal Chop: the veal was good, the mushroom gravy was to die for! That totally made the dish. Mashed Potatoes: the mashed potatoes were also to die for, honestly superb. Cesar Salad: the salad was good with very fresh chicken. Chardonnay: get the second sized glass of any wine the smaller glass is not worth it. I wasn't familiar with French measurements. Tiramisu: i enjoyed it with the fresh cookie like crumbles on too. Chocolate eclair: very fresh. One thing I did not care for is that they bring a dessert tray around at the end of your meal and have you point out what you want. No dessert menu, no prices. The way that they present the dessert you would think that it is complimentary but it is not. The desserts are 10.50euros each and I was rudely awakened by that fact when I received the bill. I was on vacation so I didn't stress it but beware of this tactic it is rather deceiving. read more

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Me and the wife went about 4 times on our trip . Onion soup is epic . Staff seemed to be very nice and well mannered . We had a female waiter that was more interested in texting than actually helping us . Overall we are pleased . In terms of professionalism she needs to find a new career makes the cafe look bad . Food quality was amazing . read more

I love Cafe Central! I've been coming here since I moved to Paris 4 years ago and I come back each time I visit! The location is situated on a corner on Rue Cler, it's the perfect place to grab a table outdoors and people watch. Over the summer this Street is full with people enjoying a glass or two... or three! But Cafe Central has ALWAYS been my favorite to go to amongst the others. Don't mistake me when I say it's full in the summer because during the winter, it still remains just as full! They put up a wall so people can still sit outdoors but be sheltered from the rain while sitting under heaters. Anything I've ever ordered off the menu has been great. I've taken many people here for their first night out in Paris. The vibe and ambiance is always so chill. Service has always been great. Even with all the hustle and bustle at the busiest times, the employees are so attentive and on top of things! read more

Café Central - Scallop risotto - Cafes Near Me - Paris, 75

My first time trying foie gras with the ravioli and it was divine. The texture is different if you're not using to trying different foods. It's mushy, soft and a little fatty in a way. It went great with the bite size ravioli pasta. I would definitely recommend this dish to a friend. The spaghetti with bolognese sauce was pretty delicious too. Reminded me of spaghetti from The States. Service was great. The guys were friendly and patient with us since we weren't sure what to order. Spoke a good amount of English for us to converse with each other. read more

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Rue Cler is where you'll find epicureans, speciality gourmet shops and some great bistros filled with locals and visitors. Cafe Central is located in the middle of Rue Cler. Yes, the menu is relatively expensive and eclectic... This is not where you bring your children and fussy Aunt Edna out for a quick meal. This is not a place filled exclusively with tourists... nor does this establishment try to reel you and your family in to eat. If value and attentive service are two of your top requirements for a positive experience, then you will be disappointed. Choose Cafe Central for the food, atmosphere and very accommodating late hours. We ate here in 2015 and again the last two evenings. On all three occasions we've dined here, we have been surrounded by French speaking people. The waitstaff is professional and busy, so if your French is weak, you may encounter a bit of a frustration if you monopolize them with a litany of questions in your native tongue depending on your waiter... some have more humor than others... also, good service here, as in many other Parisian restaurants doesn't mean the waitstaff will be overly gracious for your patronage. If they come off as rude or indifferent, it is because they expect a little effort and patience from the customer. If you examine the ratings carefully, most three star and below ratings were from people who were critical of the customer service... I think this is slightly naive... If you want attentive customer service, then stay away from bistros, cafes and restaurants filled with French speaking people... There are plenty of very good places to eat in Paris that cater to tourists, children and needier people... In any case, you will be pleasantly surprised if you show French waiters some respect and patience... Do a google or youtube search on how to order in a French restaurant/bistro/cafe. It is truly useful to know some things before you judge another culture. What you interpret as rude might have more to do with your perspective than reality. I feel slightly entitled coming off as a bit callous here because I have learned the hard way. I've frustrated and offended plenty of French waiters and store clerks in my time. Learning more about them and how they are used to things working, paid off. I can only speak for myself and some other North Americans. We tend to be used to more obsequious customer service. It's unthinkable to many of us, that the people we are paying to give us something we want, might have expectations of us also. We've also learned that the quality of the service you get greatly corresponds with who you get as your waiter. This seems to apply at a lot of places we dine. If we get a bad vibe right off the bat when we are dining, we either get our seat changed to take off. Sure, there is no absolute way of knowing this. It is more of an intuition or vibe. I suggest ordering a drink first to see how that goes. We have only ordered three different items off of the menu on our three different visits. One of us has always ordered the Ravioli with the foie gras because it is our favorite meal at Cafe Central. Tiny ravioli filled with a rich, mild soft French cheese in a rich cream sauce with a very perfectly seared duck foie gras sitting on top. It melts in your mouth and the flavors loft you up to an ethereal sensory experience.....so good... €23 for the Ravioles From Royans, pan fried duck foie gras. We have also ordered the steak. It was very good. The steak was 30 € and the fries were an additional €8. If you want a lot of attention and things you can more easily recognize on the menu for a "great" price, then don't waste your time or their time. If you want to dine at a terrific and unique bistro in a very cool location and don't mind being ridiculously patient at times or humbling yourself a little, then you might want to try Cafe Central. read more

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Nice spot to enjoy some drinks. Open late. Beware of chain smokers lighting up every 5 minutes though. The pizza was a tiny, overpriced flatbread. read more

Café Central - Overpriced pizza - Cafes Near Me - Paris, 75

My fiancé and I ate here in November of 2019. Out of all the food we ate, all over this beautiful country, our absolute favorite meal was here. I HIGHLY recommend the pepperoni pizza. It was seriously the best. I don't know what they do differently but I could not stop eating it. The service was excellent. The waiter spoke English and was very nice in his recommendations. Since we stayed so close and plan on visiting again we absolutely will go here and eat more pizza. I shouldn't have typed this while hungry. Cause now I'm STARVING! Enjoy! read more

Café Central - Looks simple but it's Aaaaaamazing! Pepperoni pizza - Cafes Near Me - Paris, 75

Wonderful buffalo cheese pizza Great French onion soup only topped by their sister restaurant near Notre dame St Regis Family who doesn't like fos loved it went back Return place for extended family favorite restaurant read more

After trying to get seated at Cafe du Marche again for dinner.. we gave up because it was just way too busy and we decided to head over next door to Cafe Central. I was kinda craving the Cafe du Marche's duck again which is the whole reason why I originally wanted to go in the first place. But pretty much each place on rue Cler has duck confit as well so it wasn't hard to find. I ordered the duck confit with sauteed potatoes (better than Cafe du Marche's potatoes!) while the Hubs ordered the "Paillard" of chicken marinated with lemon which came with a side of tomato sauce. My duck confit was just as delicious except it didn't have the minced garlic on top.. the skin was a tad less crispy which I wish was more crispier. The Hubs liked his chicken but said it was nothing special or out of this world. So good to try but won't order again. :) read more

Café Central - "Paillard" of chicken marinated with lemon (top) and duck confit (bottom). - Cafes Near Me - Paris, 75

Every time I visit Paris I try to stop by Ville the Paris for a good food. This time tried Cafe Central. Great place, great service, great food, reasonable prices. Would recommend this place it is much better then over priced tourist traps and doesn't cost mush. read more

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Excellent steak with a fantastic pepper sauce. Service was some of the best in Paris. The location and atmosphere was great. Try the creme brule read more

During my Honeymoon recently in Paris we stayed at a Hotel adjacent to Rue Cler and stubbled upon this establishment due to its menu choices and proximity. We were pleasantly surprised and delighted by the service and want to make their customers happy. Being that we do not speak anything close to fluent French it was great to find out the most in this establishment do speak some level of English and will not disparage you for asking them to. We ate her twice and both times the food was great. The Hamburger I had was a slice of home while abroad, and defiantly was great to have after all of the French meals we had eaten over our trip. All in all the service and the food was great. I would defiantly recommend this place. read more

Café Central - Picture of the outside! - Cafes Near Me - Paris, 75

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Good service and good food. Try the duck confit and the escargot. I'm an American and I liked both! Our waiter was very helpful even though we speak very little French and he spoke just a little English. He was great. read more

Café Central - Escargot - Cafes Near Me - Paris, 75

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This quaint cafe in the Rue Cler district did not disappoint. Our server was phenomenal and the entire staff took time to greet us with pleasantries even when busy. Our lunch included an order of tomatoes and mozzarella, 2 French onion soups & escargot. All of which I highly recommend, my favorite being the giant escargots. I saw other reviews that mentioned it being overpriced. Lunch for 2 was 73 EUR but the quality & service made it worth it & after all it was in the middle of the Rue Cler. Lastly, it was a birthday so they brought out a complimentary desert. And although our server spoke very little English, he did say "Happy Birthday" in English. I'd definitely return here. read more

Café Central - Cafes Near Me - Paris, 75

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We chose this spot to have a drink while we waited for out dinner reservations. Located in a cute and bustling area, it was fun to people watch. The restaurant was packed but we claimed a table outside facing the on-going walk byes. The service was fast and our waiter spoke English! We ordered these frozen fruit mocktails and enjoyed every sip! The food menu looked amazing, and I look forward to trying it next time we are in France! Only downfall was everyone in France smokes! So be cautious if you are sitting outside with kids or your dog etc. read more

Café Central - Fresh and refreshing mocktails with basil garnish! - Cafes Near Me - Paris, 75

3rd time here in one week. Pizza good, burger good, fried shrimp with spinach egg roll, good, scallops with risotto, good and Chocolate mouse, WOW. Cannot go wrong with any of the food. Ready to relax and enjoy the outdoor area, nice quiet street. Minimum cars pass. Lovely local cafe. As most places, you can hang out as long as you wish. read more

A nice neighborhood restaurant who provide breakfast, lunch and dinner. I've eaten here in previous years and the quality of the food as well as their service is good. read more

Café Central - Warm goat cheese salad. Delicious! - Cafes Near Me - Paris, 75

Nice terrace but Terrible Customer service. My wife and cousin seat outside and asked for 3 coffees and for the heater to be turned on... after 20 minutes neither of the requests were attended therefore we decided to leave. read more

The service here was wonderful and the patio is perfect for people watching on the famous Rue Cler. I ordered the charcuterie board for lunch and those around me went with the croque monsieur/ croque madame. The food wasn't over the top memorable but it was tasty and our server was attentive and very personable. I'd give this place a solid 3.5 stars. But since our waiter was great, I am going to round up on the review. read more

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