I went here about a month ago during a solo trip to Paris. Two friends, independent of each other, had recommended it, so I figured it was worth a try. At lunchtime on Sunday, the only customers were me and several tables of well-dressed old people. I took that as a sign that I was surrounded by locals and not tourists. Everything at Chez Paul seems authentic and "old world," right down to the menu handwritten in elegant script (do a bit of prep beforehand if like me, you don't speak much French). I won't say I fooled the waiters into thinking I was Francophone, but I will say that they were gracious enough to not make me feel bad for my slow speech and poor accent. I ate steak au poivre and the gratin dauphinois. I'm usually not a big fan of gratin, but these are on another level from anything else I've had. So creamy, subtly cheesy, perfectly seasoned. The steak was in a mildly spicy, really flavorful cognac and pepper sauce. The "extras" were amazing too: a cheap house bordeaux, an espresso with the perfect crema, and baguette freshly cut five feet from my table. On top of all that, I cannot in any way possibly describe the delight that was the tarte tatin. Warm, fruity, chewy. Served with creme fraiche. If you go, don't think; just order it. The only reason I didn't give five stars was because the steak was a bit tough for my taste. But that definitely won't deter me from returning next time I go to Paris! read more

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The mood of the dinner is set by the host and the waiter. If you want to have a dinner with the most rude and horrible service I have encountered, ever? Go here. read more

This restaurant was a lovely spot if you in search of classic French ambiance. The intimate atmosphere is a perfect place for a romantic date or night on the town with your friends. The food is impeccable and cooked to perfection with an abundance of flavors and textures. In addition to this the service was extremely helpful and kind. I would recommend this restaurant to anyone looking to experience real French food in an inviting atmosphere. read more

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We didn't have a reservation so we were seated upstairs in a hot crowded room where we shared a table with another couple. So if possible, make a reservation! 2 stars for this. We ordered the escargot and the lamb for 2 which should really be for 4. Escargot was AMAZING. Definitely eat bread with the leftover sauce! The lamb was also really good but I suggest ordering it only if you have more than 4 people. 4 stars for the quality of the food. One weird thing--we did find some coins in our bread basket.. Probably not very sanitary read more

Chez Paul - Escargot - Bistros Near Me - Paris, 75

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Classic French bistro that satisfies. We had the French onion soup, salmon with leeks, assorted vegetables, and chèvre chaud, all delicious. The dessert menu is outstanding, with many choices. It's definitely worth saving appetite for dessert here. We sampled the profiteroles with chocolate sauce and vanilla ice cream, the creme brûlée, and lemon three ways (lemon sorbet, lemon custard tart, and lemon mousse). Service was slow even for Paris. read more

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Best meal i had in paris! We came across this place on a recommendation from a random employee at a clothing store. Lots of locals there and some tourists but overall everyone was nice. The waitress we had was amazing. The steak we ordered was the best i have had in paris and the potatoes where just as good. The steak was pepper steak covered in a light beef gravy. Then we had creme brûlée also AWESOME. Deff go here. They take reservations its probably better to call ahead if possible. We didnt- but had no wait. read more

Chez Paul - Bistros Near Me - Paris, 75

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I was very happy to have fallen on Chez Paul for dinner. So happy I came back a second time. I got the bone marrow appetizer paired with a chilled rosé. Loved the creamy texture with the rock salt on top. Then I got the rabbit leg stuffed with goat cheese and fresh mint. It was served with a side of braised endive. This dish was a first for me and was sensational! Running around Paris was hard finding very good traditional French food until I landed at Chez Paul. The service was very good considering how busy they are. I will definitely be back upon my next visit to Paris! read more

Chez Paul - Bone Marrow and toast starter - Bistros Near Me - Paris, 75

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Had to come back to this place! Originally dined here last month with my girlfriends. We loved it! It's a cute little place tucked away in the Bastille neighborhood that serves authentic French food. Sit outside - great for people watching. Also great for the brave diners.. they have like pigs brains and crazy stuff on the menu. My mom and I split the LARGE plate of steak and bone marrow. Great deal! Also -- our waitress Sandrine was awesome. She was also the same waitress who served my friends and I last month. She walked right up to the table and said " I remember you!" nice when servers do. This will be one of my regular places in Paris from now on! read more

Chez Paul - Bistros Near Me - Paris, 75

This is a must come if you want French food from a brasserie. The food decor is old school Paris style, place is old, food is phenomenal. If you are in the area, this is a must come. read more

We stumbled on this place after our original dinner choice didn't work out, and I'm so glad we did. The servers were all a delight - and even though we spoke French, they were more than happy to speak in English as well, even offering an English menu. Also: very friendly and attentive, even on a very busy night. The location is fantastic - we sat on the terrace, so we got to watch the hustle and bustle of Paris while enjoying our meal. But it's also not super touristy, there were a ton of locals dining there, which we took as a great sign. The food was AMAZING. We got a dozen escargots to start, and they were so buttery and delicious we wished we had a dozen more. Then I got the steak tartare, which was delicious and flavourful and a truly massive pile of meat, and came with a side of the roasted potatoes and a nice, fresh crisp salad. My dining companion got the steak and those other creamy buttery potatoes, and he was thrilled. He asked for the steak cooked medium rare, and it was cooked perfectly. So, in short, good job Chez Paul. We'll definitely be talking about our amazing French meal for a long long time. read more

Chez Paul - Escargots! - Bistros Near Me - Paris, 75

Very classic Alsatian bistro in Paris. A good way to introduce your friends and family to typical French food! I might lean more towards going here in the winter than in the summer - heavy, creamy dishes are the go-to here (French onion soup, rabbit in a cheese and cream sauce, gratin dauphinois) and it could get stuffy and hot in July. As others have mentioned, it's a handwritten menu in that impossible French script (I'm a teacher in France and have extensive practice deciphering that weird neat-but-not-neat cursive scrawl and even for me there were a few words that I couldn't make out). Luckily for y'all, while the menu hasn't been rewritten since the end of WWII (no seriously) they do have a website where it is all typed out for you (still French only). Take a picture with your phone and bring it along with you if you need to. You can also reserve online if talking in French on the phone is not your thing. Waitstaff are very friendly and I saw them help several tables of Anglophones with the menu no problem. It might feel a bit overwhelming but just ask and they'll help! I really loved the crème brûlée here, it was delicious and perfectly creamy. The trio of chèvre chaud was a yummy starter, although one of them has bacon so ask to switch it out if you don't eat meat - on that note, I counted three vegetarian appetizers and one main (plate of 'vegetables of the moment'). That's four more than you get at most classic French places so take notes kiddos! Unfortunately, we were seated next to a German couple who were mysteriously offended by our American presence the whole night and openly pointed at, mocked, and made fun of us throughout our meal (??? what), even going so far as to call over the waitress and ask her how it was 'possible' that those 'annoying Americans who come on the giant tour buses' were able to find this place (uh hello I speak French and you're sitting right next to me, what are you doing). So that kind of put a damper on the meal but no matter, that crème brûlée and an extra glass of wine made us forget all about it :) Dress was business casual/basically standard French evening wear (leave your shorts at home). We spent about 35 euro per person, splitting dessert. An easy walk from la Bastille. read more

I loved this place, food was amazing and wait staff was friendly. I went last year when I was in Paris, it was a must stop when I returned this year and will be in the future. read more

A long overdue review for Chez Paul. My husband and I stayed at an Air BnB just nearby and our hosts HIGHLY recommended Chez Paul because it was an institution in the neighborhood. The restaurant doesn't look like too much from the outside, but totally changes once you walk in. While the place is aged, it's definitely got that cool charm that makes you want to sit back and have a couple of glasses of wine and chat. The service is also excellent. The servers are all really friendly and make great recommendations if you need them. I can also appreciate that the speak both French and English and are willing to help tourists out. Since my hubby speaks French, we were able to order in French; however, our server was just as friendly to the couple sitting next to us who didn't speak any French. We tried the Foie Gras appetizer (A MUST IN FRANCE) and it was delicious along with their bread. My hubby had the steak au poivre and it was DELICIOUS. VERY tender and juicy and the portions were just right. I had the duck confit, which was heaven on a plate! Pros: -Amazing Food -GREAT service -Decent prices for legit French cuisine -Good wine selection -Great ambiance Tips: -The place gets busier as the night goes by, so if you're a sleepy tourist (like were were)... Grab an early dinner and pass out from a lovely food coma! read more

It's the sort of place you'd imagine if you were told to visualize a Parisian bistro. The decor, the menu, even the proprietor--all classic. We were clearly the only tourists there that afternoon. The steak au poivre and gratin dauphinois were delicious. I sopped up all the sauce with bread. Paired with a pint of Kronenbourg, it was pretty close to my ideal lunch. read more

Pas mal. We came to Chez Paul to meet up with some locals. Okay, to be fair, they're not Parisian either. But they have been living in Paris for a few years now, so I had high expectations. We were seated in the back room (which we later discovered was where they seat the foreigners...). The menus are all handwritten! Which was cute, but difficult to read. Service was very slow and absent (as it is in most of Paris). The first and second choice wines we wanted were not available so we went with the third choice. It was tasty. (Sorry - can't remember what it was) The escargots were delicious. Or at least the garlic and butter they were served in were. We used the bread to lick up every last drop. I order the duck confit, and was disappointed. It was a little dry. And the potatoes they came with were boring - just sliced up and roasted, but not much flavour. The winner of the table was the salmon dish served in a nice sauce. 2nd place went to another fish dish, served on chickpeas. The steak was a-okay, and at least came with more interesting potatoes - au gratin. I didn't have room for dessert, but the Tarte Tatin, profiteroles and Cafe Gourmand that came to our table all looked delicious and were all given 2 thumbs up. ...And then we waited for about another hour before we could get hold of someone to give us our bill. 4 hours later, we were more than ready to go home. Or at least needed a change of scenery. I suppose that's the way life is in Paris! This Torontonian just isn't used to the slow place of Europe. read more

Didn't like the food and didn't like the service. There was a big table with probably usual guests near us, and we were completely forgotten... I have been to other small family restaurants in the neighborhood and the treatment was completely different. This waitress was simply not interested. In the end, I could forget everything if, at least, the food was good. read more

Best Onion Soup of my life. It's a meal in itself, but my eyes were greedy, and I ordered the duck salad, as well. The onion soup was covered in a delicious, thick mass of cheese, which melted all the way to the bottom. Onions were perfectly caramelized. There were bits of soft bread floating around; pleasant soup-soaked morsels. They said you could fall in love in Paris, right? Totally fell in love with their soup. I miss you, soup. All the food was good, and I tried a bit of my friends' dishes as well; the foie gras was delicious. My duck salad was fantastic. There were thick cuts of duck breast, juicy and almost like the texture of pork, but with the flavor of duck. Not fatty or greasy. Greens were crisp and fresh. Service is fantastic. They are sweet and speak English, as well. Wonderful place to sit outside and people watch for awhile. Oh you, Parisians and your impeccable fashion. This place has an adorable atmosphere. Definitely recommended to friends and Yelp strangers. read more

I can't get over Chez Paul. It's the quintessential Parisian brasserie, but the REAL quintessential Paris. It's romantic yet super chill, delicious yet unpretentious, and, true to stereotypes, best accompanied by a hearty glass of wine and a sizable appetite. From the moment we walked in, we felt right at home at Chez Paul. I'm not sure if it was my earnest, and nonetheless failed, attempt at speaking entirely in French, or my adorable boyfriend's smiling and pointing that endeared us to the waitstaff, but either way, we were treated with a charming, jokey kindness that I didn't expect from the chilly rep Paris usually gets. They gave us one english menu and one in french, allowing me to practice but ensuring that we didn't order anything...surprising. To start we went with a small carafe (probably 1/2 a bottle) of house red, and it hit the spot...especially paired with the buttery, garlicky, I'm-still-dreaming-about-them escargots we got soon after. I'm a little squeamish about eating insects or whatever snails are, but these were DELICIOUS. You'll probably want to pop an Altoid after eating them if you're going to be doing any smooching along the Seine, but the garlic breath is totally worth it. Next we got the steak tartare, which, again, I'm still thinking about. It's rich and meaty and pickly, with the perfect mixture of mustard, cornichon, capers and ketchup mixed into the massive pile of delicious raw beef. I'm a huge tartare fan in general, but this is by far the best I've ever had. I easily polished off my half plus a good deal of my boyfriends. We also got the steak au poivre, which I have to say, was, disappointing. It was a little dry and very salty, and just generally not up to the same (awesome) standard as the rest of the meal. The potatoes that accompanied it were creamy and delicious, and the salad was fresh and lightly but thoroughly dressed, but I'll definitely be ordering a different main next time. Word to the wise: no matter how much you might want to blend in with the locals and eat half a fresh baguette (*ahem*) on your way to dinner at Chez Paul, save room. You won't regret it. read more

Chez Paul is the first restaurant I've really been impressed by my first week in Paris. The owner has great personality and welcomes you w/ a personal touch. The restaurant itself has a lot of nice vintage touches giving you a feel for the local cultural history. The food was fantastic - peppered steak, grilled salmon and the best gratin potato dish I've ever had. Menu is tough to read for a foreigner but wait staff is very helpful walking you through it. Probably should have tried the onion soup here as well, I've yet to have a cup in the city that lives up to expectation. read more

Traditional French food that's less touristy but provides everything a tourist would want. We ordered: - Onion Soup: really really good - Escargot: super super good - especially the sauce dipped with bread. Not very earthy tasting either - steak au poivre with pomme gratinee: okay - i would say this was the least favourite dish on the table. steak was a bit jerky and the potatoes were okay. - duck confit with garlic potatoes: perfectly crispy - steak tartar: good but too mustardy Everything came with a lot of potatoes and the portions were huge. The food is decently priced. We ordered two bottles of wine (cote du rhone grand coeur 2006) and were superbly expensive at 32 EUR each. That broke our wallet. Overall, plentiful and good food, good service. Worthy of a visit. read more

Very cool place - classic French bistro with a hint of quirkiness. I had the steak poivre - I asked for rare and it came medium rare but still very good. Accompanying potatoes daphinoise were excellent (but when are potatoes, cheese and cream ever bad?!?!) Desserts were very nice and coffee was good. I heard some non-French speakers struggle to communicate with the waitress, so if you don't speak French you might want to check out the menu online (and google translate) beforehand. Definitely worth a visit! read more

When you travel you always try to stick to somewhere the locals would go or a type of food that will give you a new experience... well this unfortunately was intended for that and did not quite work out. The menu seemed to try and hit a lot of things the French cuisine has to offer. They seemed to try to be daring, but it just came out pretty crude. However, we both ordered a entrecot with wild hare pate for the entrée. The entrée did not quite taste very fresh; as if it was some canned food you can get for a few euros from the shop. One thing that made me still enjoy this place was the fact that the chef got my steak just perfect: rare. :) burned tremendously on outside but juicy red in the inside. The staff at the place was nice. There was one lady who really tried to make sure we understood the menu and gave her honest recommendations. Considering the place was full (with locals and tourists), the staff were nice. Probably the ambiance receives more the credit as it has this old rustic Parisian feel. There are lots of historic ornaments and posters about. Its also nice to sit outside on street. Perhaps we had a bad experience or with a local who knows the kitchen better might recommend us better delicacies. read more

This place is absolutely fantastic. I have been in Paris the last two summers and ate here multiple times. The restaurant is so cozy and Parisian, and you can't help but feel absorbed by Paris when you are at Chez Paul. It is loved by locals which for me is a great sign as a tourist hunting for a good place to eat. When I come back to Paris I will definitely eat here again. read more

Chez Paul - Bistros Near Me - Paris, 75

Amazing profiteroles. Say no more! Lamb shank was snobishly good as well. read more

After reading all of the fabulous reviews for this place, we had really high expectations. However, we were very dissapointed in the quality of the food. The steak here compared to anywhere else we ate in Paris was mediocre. They weren't very good at acheiving the doneness that was requested. It was a bit weird as well to be seated near the kitchen and witness staff that were arguing with each other - and for the rest of the night glaring at each other. When I go to a nice restaurant, I expect that I don't see ANY of the drama between the staff. It's just not professional. That being said - other than the drama, we enjoyed the atmosphere of the place. It was packed and felt very authentic. Be sure to make reservations and plan to be there for several hours having your meal. read more

Our favorite place to dine in Paris!! All our favorite traditional dishes without the touristy vibe or cost. Great friendly service, especially from Sandrine. She was courteous, patient and friendly. I recommend the Pepper Steak, and the escargots are to die for! read more

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Our best meal in Paris! A crowded Saturday night so be sure to make a reservation and settle in for a lengthy meal. The food takes a bit to arrive, but more than worth the wait. We had: Onion Soup - a meal in itself and loaded with cheese. Amazing Peppercorn steak in cognac sauce - spicy and perfectly cooked. Chicken fricasse in crustacean sauce - very tender and the sauce is to die for Profiteroles - come on. Wow. Wow. Wow. read more

I've eaten here twice, once on each of my trips to Paris. It's the only restaurant I made a point to revisit. They accommodated us without a reservation on my second visit despite it being a crowded night, although they asked we refrain from ordering dessert to help them turn over the table quickly. While I understand their request and definitely appreciate their directness, it would have been nice to be able to think about dessert at this fantastic restaurant. They were out of my first choice entree, pot au feu, but the steak au poivre I ordered instead was phenomenal. It almost got me to forget the fantastic escargot appetizer, the garlicky buttery juices of which we sopped up with the crusty baguette provided. The bottle of wine we ordered was also excellent, although we had a hard time finding NON-excellent wine in Paris. What I really love about Chez Paul is that it feels like you've stumbled into a neighborhood gem. I love feeling like I've glimpsed into the lives of the locals. read more

This is a nice casual place for enjoying local food, that is, excellent local food. On our recent visit, they ran out of pavé de cochon noir, so we tried the other house specialty which is steak tartare, thoroughly yummy! We also had a scallop dish that tasted divine. As other Yelpers had already mentioned the wait staff doesn't speak much English, but don't let this deter you from trying out this wonderful place. read more

What a great little place!!! My boyfriend and I went here on our first night in Paris because it was so close to our hotel. Thank goodness my boyfriend took 6 years of French in school otherwise we wouldn't have known what to order on the menu :P it was not only in French but it was hand-written and super hard to read. But he figured it out and ordered some fantastic stuff. I can't remember what he got, but I told him to order for me and he ordered me rabbit! It was yummy, I had never eaten a bunny before haha. It came with yummy potatoes too. It was a rich and hearty meal and I left very satisfied. Our waitress was great too. She reminded me of a French version of a Thai lady I used to work with ;) The decor is cute, the floor tile patterns were tripping me out haha :P Cool place, just make sure you bring someone who can at least read French! read more

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Chez Paul is off the beaten path. I like it already. Had lunch here on a weekday. A few other tables were occupied with what looked like working Parisians on lunch break. Now, l like it even better. We ordered steak tartare and pot au feu. The steak tartare was a most generous portion. Actually, it was unbelievably generous. Pot au feu was the real deal; we were both stuffed when we left this little restaurant, but happy. Thank you for a memorable lunch. read more

This is what Paris is, continues to be, and what we want it to remembered by. Exceptional food quality in an environment surrounded by locals and Tripadvisor tourists combined. By far....the best value in France for authentic traditional bistro style French cuisine. I am a HUGE fan of this location and will always return on every visit to Paris. read more

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As traditionally French as it gets! The menu contains a lot of the typical French dishes you no longer find in your average brasserie. The pates I've tested were especially good. The room is slightly crowded and it can get slightly noisy, though not unbearable. Giblets are not my thing, but a friend I was with told me all their giblet dishes were amazing. The deserts were also particularly good, so very classic, no surprise here. The wines were also a nice surprise: a good selection with a huge variety of appellations and price which should suit everyone's taste and wallet. We had two or three bottles ourselves and they wereall lovely! At the end of the night, the total bill is somewhat on the pricy side but we were completely stuffed! So I guess you can go for cheaper if you're more reasonable on what you order... read more

A bit out of the way for foreign tourists, but well worth the trip. The decor is very authentic, and with a few exceptions, nearly everyone else but us spoke in French - so you know it wasn't full of tourists. The waitress herself spoke only minimal English, so having French familiarity here is helpful. The menus themselves are handwritten classical French food (which may be a bit hard to read in some cases), so a menu translator app was really useful. Just as a warning, if you're expecting "European portions," that's a myth here. The salad with warm goat cheese and the bowl of french onion soup were both huge - almost main course size for the price of a starter. It was probably not a smart decision to get two big starters and two main courses, but we were hungry. The French onion soup was a deliciously hot, gooey, mess. The salad with goat cheese was tasty, with some variety in the dressings of the cheese (pesto, a spice mixture I couldn't identify, and one wrapped in ham/bacon). For the main courses, we had steak bearnaise and a leg of rabbit with a whole cooked endive. Both came with crispy sauteed potatoes, which were incredibly deliciously crunchy on the outside and soft and flavorful on the inside. The steak cooked to what we consider rare (ordered medium rare) was glorious, with the bearnaise sauce very strong - much stronger than at La Terrasse 7eme. The rabbit was awesome, and something I don't get often - kind of a gamier chicken flavor. It was smothered in a chevre-and-mint cream sauce that was delightful. The endive was rather more bitter than I expected, but cooked to tenderness. Would totally recommend this to people looking for more authentic local food in a city that thrives on tourist accommodations, but only if you're already familiar with French and willing to go out and travel a bit (it's several blocks from Bastille). read more

Just a fair dining experience ... but honestly, I wouldn't return. It wasn't very busy on a Monday night and my reservations were obviously unnecessary. Service was just average. Difficult to read hand-written menu, but it's Paris ... you can figure out what's on the menu if you try. (Good idea to refer to the website in advance.) Good escargot, good foie gras. The heavily-peppered steak was cooked to the right temperature, but was rather tough. And the Dauphinoise potatoes were quite good. Just a bit over-priced, but the real reason not to return is that there are far better restaurants in the Bastille area. read more

Went here last week. Got a very "Master of the House" - vibe as we walked in. Were seated in the dingy upstairs area. A mouse ran across the floor as we had our escargot, visiting one table after another. Cheque please! Got out of there tout de suite. read more

Chez Paul is just lovely. We sat outside as we watched passersby looked curiously at our food. We ordered the onion soup gratinee (aka french onion soup), escargots (YUM), and petit artichokes (decent, mostly ordered it to get some vegetables in our meal). He had the steak au poivre and i had the confit d'canard. Both were excellent. The portions are pretty big here so were were pretty much full just from out appetizers. We saw a lot of people order the steak tartare which looked amazing. I would love to go back before I leave Paris. Make reservations. We did, and while we were dining, we saw many people get turned away because they didn't have one. read more

Chez Paul - Escargot - Bistros Near Me - Paris, 75

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If you are in Paris go here! I love this restaurant!! Get the Rabbit... end with the Poached Pears ! Parisian Heaven!

Loved Chez Paul! I had the Steak au poivre flambé cognac & gratin dauphinois! My whole meal was delicious. If you dont speak french, I'd suggest going on the website and reviewing the menu because it's all in French. Our server (Jarod) was awesome, he was helpful in explaining the dishes and suggesting an appropriate wine to accompany your dish! The setting was cute and quaint, very European. read more

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I've been here twice and really love it. I've only had the steak and frites but both times it was beautifully done. The restaurant is quaint yet large enough to handle many people. The staff is very good and the service is great. Great neighborhood to stroll in afterwards or go to bars afterwards. There is an Isabel Marant store across the street for the fashionistas. read more

Chez Paul - Bistros Near Me - Paris, 75

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