This was an amazing culinary experience. We did the chef's tasting menu which had multiple courses. Everything was phenomenal. Wine was excellent. There is a great wine list and cocktail list. The staff were very kind, helpful, and attentive. Food was delicious. You can sit at the bar area where you can watch the chefs prepare the food and talk directly to the bartenders/waiters. There is a separate area if you want to sit at the table, but I would recommend doing the tasting bar because it was such a great experience. read more

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Loved the food. And the presentation of the food. service was good to a point. when my glass of wine was empty. In most restaurants the server would ask you if you'd like another glass.If i had purchased a bottle? i'm sure i would have been pouring my own wine. after we watched the back of our waiter's head for 20 minutes enjoying his conversation with another guest. Meanwhile the room only had 10 other guests, tops . we started to loose it. then waiting for the check while our waiter started another conversation across the restaurant. That was another 20 minutes. I literally had to get up and walk to the hostess and demand my check so we could leave. 7:30 reservation. we left at 10:30 If i had to rate the service overall? i would give it a 3. that's unacceptable for these prices. what a shame. Ambiance was great at 1st until everyone cleared out and we felt like we weren't appreciated or that important. i guess it's fair to say we won't be going back. What a shame . great food. horrible service. Chef Robuchon is the real deal. read more

This was an amazing experience. Our waiter was so attentive and even brought out an extra amuse bouche and dessert for my daughter. Every dish was spot on- however my favorite was the caviar, crème fraiche with crab dish. The caviar was obviously top notch but everything together was so delectable and light at the same time. There's nothing like enjoying Joel Robuchon straight out of Paris. read more

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Went in with a large party and were seated almost immediately. We ordered our food and drinks and received a starter to cleanse our palette shortly thereafter. My husband and I shared the Liver, pork chops, and white asparagus. All were tasty but the Liver was by far the best thing I tasted while in Paris. I wouldn't necessarily consider myself a fan of liver in general and this completely changed my mind. It was cooked to perfection and the mixture of flavors was spot on. The only issue we encountered was when we were presented the check at the end of the night. We had proactively asked that it be split by couples, however that didn't happen off the bat so it took a bit longer than usual to check out. read more

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My mother and I dined here expecting a memorable Paris fine dining experience, but the evening was overshadowed by extremely disappointing wine service. After our first glass, our glasses remained empty for nearly an hour across several courses despite repeated requests. Meanwhile the sommelier continued serving other tables and even socializing with coworkers while our glasses sat empty in front of us. Because we were seated at the counter, the entire interaction was visible to nearby diners. There were some well-prepared dishes, but the inattentive service ultimately defined the experience. read more

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Next to a lovely boutique hotel in Saint-Germain-des-Prés, the greatness of the late chef is embodied here. Friendly service is standard here in this popular tourist spot. Don't get it twisted the food is not ordinary. The tasting menu is a fair value. Each course is almost too pretty to eat. read more

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A+++ dinner on Rue Montalabert. I sat at the bar as a solo diner at L'Atelier Joel Robuchon and ate one of the best dinners ever. Service was impeccable - very attentive and knowledgeable. There were about 9 courses of food on the tasting menu including salmon, foie gras, lamb cutlets. I've included the menu to help identify all the variety of courses. Not much more to say - perfect dinner in a nice clean setting with well prepared delicious and delicious wonderful service. Can't be beat! read more

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Very fine dining!!! Wow!! Warmly greeted upon arrival by the doorman and seated immediately! The decor was very upscale and warm! Nice decorations and art. Seating was comfortable and they were very interested in our comfort. The menu for wine and food was large and a little confusing but they walked us through all of it and we ended up going with the price fix menu so we could taste a little of everything! It was a 9 course meal! It was absolutely the best dining experience we've had here! The price was definitely worth it! read more

L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon - Price Fix menu yes you get all but only one of the entrees - French Near Me - Paris, 75

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Everything was excellent about this place. The ambiance is very French-modern, upscale and chic. I first came with my family and before leaving, I had to book a reservation for another night to bring my man. The food and it's presentation is equally delicious and beautiful! Anywhere you sit (bar or tables) you are well taken care of. If you sit in the room with the large table for big parties, you get to watch the amazing chefs prepping your food on the screen. I had to order their foie gras sliders, as well as their foie gras meal. You may think it was a lot, but it went perfectly with the red wine we had. The second time I had the sliders again, and the filet; my partner had seafood. All dishes, sides, desserts, and wines here are FANTASTIC! read more

Food was amazing. Enjoyed every second. Sat at bar, Benjamin waited on me and was super knowledgeable about what wine to pair with food. Very delicious and great way to end my trip in Paris read more

L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon - French Near Me - Paris, 75

I am writing this review primarily to counterpoint so many others that are critical of this restaurant. My husband and I recently dined at L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon on a quiet Wednesday night in Paris. We have been here before and enjoyed our evenings, but recent reviews made me wonder if we had made a mistake returning. We were delighted to discover the restaurant to still be as welcoming as ever, with top notch food. We wisely stuck to the specials recommended by our waiter. We shared a dish of spaghetti literally drowning in black truffles. It was superb, not to be missed if you are a fan of truffles (which we definitely are). Our shared main was the Dover sole, an entree we've had at lunch, but not in the evening. As ever, it was expertly prepared, and served with the justly famous potato puree with enough butter to make a cardiologist faint. For dessert we shared a lemon dome with marscapone and ice cream that was superb. We shared a lovely bottle of wine recommended by the very cordial sommelier. Perhaps we were just fortunate to have come on a night with a particularly winning special plat, but it seemed to us that L'Atelier Joel Robuchon is still providing an excellent dining experience. It is not an inexpensive meal, but we regret nothing! read more

We came here on our last night in Paris. I called late, 8pm to see if they had room for the 4 of us at 9:30pm. The answer was yes, we could be squeezed in at 9:30pm. We arrived and were asked to wait, along with MANY other patrons. After 45 minutes, we were seated, at 10:15pm! The restuarant was packed and they close at 12:30am.....we could not pay untit 1:20am!!!! Most people were gone and the waiters were chit chatting around corner. Several times, we had to ask for cutlery for the dishes that were served. I bumped into a couple women waiting for the bathroom and they had the same experiences. Our waiter took our water order then, after a couple questions about the menu, pushed us off to someone who was clearly a bus boy because he was too busy to bother with us. We asked for an alteration on one dish, it did not happen. We asked to order a bottle of wine, the new "waiter" said he could not put the order in and would send over the sommelier, but the sommelier never came over, not once in the 3 hrs. we were seated. The amuse bouche came just AFTER the first course was served...as in at the same time, we each had 2 plate stuck on our small table. No butter with our bread, no bread plates. Unfortunately the food was also lacking too. Two of us had the tasting menu and 2 of us ordered a la carte. The food ordered a la carte, the miso sea bass, was overcooked and WAY to sweet. The king crab had no flavour, it was underseasoned. The tasting menu was SLIGHTLY better but the scallop was overcooked as was the stuffed quail. The seared fois gras was cooked well and a generous portion. This one good dish did not save the night. The plating was nice to look at but the taste was underwhelming. A truely dismal experience. When I called to book last minute, the restaurant should have said no rather than being greedy and trying to squeeze out everything. Multiple people left quite disappointed that night, not just our party. read more

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It's very modern inside and beautiful. The staff were amazingly friendly. Absolutely everyone greeted me and even the Chef came over, although I didn't know who he was and missed my opportunity for a longer chat. The bread came first. The beautiful mini epi were on top. I followed protocol and didn't touch it until food was brought. The Amuse Bouche was a tasty crispy shrimp. Very good. The second was a crudo of Loupe de mer. (Raw fish). It was absolutely amazing. Next came a soup of foie gras. I really thought it boring. Following was the incredible liver. Chicken, goose, or duck I didn't catch which. Stunning The super boring gyoza came next. I get better dumplings from the freezer at 99 Ranch Market. Way better. These had no flavor. Next it's Nobu's signature dish? Miso marinated black cod with a creamy daikons sauce. Delicious. The truffled quail was next. Very good. Not pictured is the tiny scoop of ice cream with surrounded by basil foam. It was beautiful and amazing. The dessert was chocolate ice cream with chocolate mousse. Good, but the presentation terrific. All sense of presentation went out the window and my final bites were of tiny madeleines and caramels. The plate looks sad. I would absolutely return, but order ala carte next time. read more

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Amazing. Such a great experience. We made a reservation for right when dinner started and did the tasting menu. It's an open kitchen concept so it was really neat getting to watch the chefs in action crating these amazing dishes. read more

L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon - French Near Me - Paris, 75

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On 28 May 2025, my BF and I decided to try this restaurant since it was conveniently located next to our hotel. The host, a tall gentleman with glasses, showed us to our seats at the bar area. Overall, we had a great dinner with excellent service from our server--warm, attentive, and kind. Unfortunately, our experience was soured by the host. Shortly after dinner, we received our second glass of wine. The host approached us and asked if we were going to order dessert. My boyfriend jokingly replied, "No, this is our dessert," pointing to the wine. Without missing a beat, the host responded curtly, "Well then, if you're not having dessert, we'll need these two seats for the second seating," and abruptly walked away before I could ask for clarification. Moments later, a woman came over with our check--unprompted and unrequested. I told her, politely, "I'm not ready for the check; it feels like we're being rushed." She apologized and said she would come back later. She was simply following instructions, but it was clear that we were being targeted to vacate our seats. What struck us as particularly troubling was that we were the ONLY couple being rushed--despite seeing at least four other couples seated at the bar when we arrived and one couple who arrived shortly after we did. An American couple next to us had been there long enough that the server even joked with them about eventually trying the food. We were also the only Black couple in the restaurant. While I can't say for certain what the host's intentions were, the selective treatment left us feeling unwelcome and disrespected. It's hard not to interpret the experience through that lens when no one else was approached in the same way. We paid over €230 for a beautiful meal, great wine--and a deeply uncomfortable interaction that cast a shadow over the night. The food and service from our waiter were excellent, but the behavior of the host was unacceptable and left us with a bitter aftertaste to an otherwise great read more

I had dinner yesterday night at the restaurant in Saint-Germain , since it was next to our hotel we had planned ahead and made a reservation at 9 pm. Definitely the host is not the most welcoming one , we got seated in the high chairs around the kitchen , there's a lot of staff but service tends to be slow , adding that we believe we had a food critic next to us , so every waiter or chef would spend talking with him rather than giving any attention to other visitors . After we finally made it to their attention we ordered the scallops , ravioli foigrass, langoustine, gyosas , black cod in miso and lamb chops. After the rough start our chef made some small talk and maybe tried to catch up with the bad manners displayed previously . He recommended us some wines . After all the food was really good , impeccable presentation, the winner was the scallops and the service was the one missing point in the restaurant . I believe has a group of restaurants they have 32 Michelin stars so maybe that's the attitude . I would give 5 stars to robuchon dishes and minus -2 for the lack of customer service . read more

L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon - French Near Me - Paris, 75

By four of my most romantic restaurant to go to in France with whom I'm with at the time. This place had fine. Music had fine wine had perfect service and the food is beyond reproach. Best bet is lucky the waiter picked out the food for you based on the occasion that's what I find here. I've been here a dozen times and I'll come back again and again again. read more

Went for lunch at Joel and it was one of the best meals of my life. Wonderful service, incredible food, and a creative and modern space to enjoy it all. The tasting menu was unbelievable and so creative. Worth the money 100% for such a special meal. read more

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One of the best restaurants I've been in my life. Didn't expect to get in without any reservation ahead but we walked in and tested our luck. We were first customer to knock on the door and the staff kindly squeezed us in. We started out with a glass of house wine and it was so smooth. Omg. We had iberico jamon and they were very palatable. Truffle pasta was amazing and everything else we had was excellent. Overall is was amazing experience. read more

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Very similar to the one in Vegas. I was a party of one and chose the second latest reso available. Had a wonderful meal. Wasn't flawless, but I don't require perfection. Sommelier was a bit distracted and my quail was a bit dry but the pastry chef more than atoned for minor quibbles. read more

Ok so we had high hopes. Ordered the tasting menu at the first seating as we usually do in nicer restaurants. We are used to long waits but this one was over the top. You can see into the kitchen and something was definitely off. Our waiter was kind and apologized a few times but 3 hours for 7-8 courses with an average of 20 mins between courses was a bit much. The food was decent but most of it was only lukewarm. As I watched them prep, every dish had multiple steps so it's no wonder it got cold sitting and waiting to be served. The maybe manager was constantly on the phone and talking to future diners as opposed to the people sitting there. It's a Michelin one star but in my opinion does not deserve it. You have to get basic details right and this one missed out in a fairly major way for a €500 dinner. There are so many amazing places to eat in Paris, I'd skip this one. read more

They charged us for the tap water they put in old Evian bottles. Awful experience. Food is mediocre.

Unfortunately this restaurant has passed its prime and seems stuck in the shadow of its former glory. We visited the St Germain version of L'Atilier and had a myriad of dishes. The theme seemed to be the same from every dish, it was innovative 20 years ago but now seems very dated. So many restaurants have taken versions of these dishes and modernized them that now the original seems stuck in the past. The tuna tataki appears now on every generic restaurant menu. The hamburgers with fois can be had at most fancy burger places, the tartare seems stuck in the 60's with an over abonance of mayo and pickles that dates the dish. The white fish, and even the famous pomme purée are all common place now, the secret is out it's half butter half potato, that I think the staff has forgot why L'Atilier was made. It was a space of innovation and invention which struck against the established rules of French fine dining. Unfortunately the restaurant seems old and tired in its approach and to anyone who frequents any of Paris's other modern restaurants like Frenchie, or even bar Frenchie which has a similar concept will feel going to L'Atilier is closer to a visit to grandmas house than to an innovative dining experience. 2 stars. read more

L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon - Accompanied the Tartare - French Near Me - Paris, 75

If you are expecting a Las Vegas Robuchon experience where everything is impeccable. Please go elsewhere. When you enter and the maiter'de has no sport coat or tie, then you need to worry when attending a Michelin . Unfortunately the restaurant is resting on their past and the staff does not anticipate anything. Everything needs to be asked for and the food is equivalent to just a normal eatery. Definitely don't anticipate Michelin service, there are so many other one stars that are worthy to dine at. Like I said, resting on the past is embarrassing. Ambiance is good but has the old past decor from a time ago. read more

This was quite a French culinary experience like no other and I am so glad Linda L. recommended L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon to us. A Michelin rated restaurant, and well known Chef, in Joel Robuchon, I knew this was going to be quite a different experience while in Paris. We could only get an early reservation so when the doors opened at 6:30 pm, my wife and I walked in with about 4 other parties. Even though most dining at night does not start till around 8:00 to 9:00 pm, we did not want to miss this experience. What an absolute beautiful restaurant and without a doubt had the most class of any I have been to. Two beautiful wine cellars in front, beautiful red chairs and shiny woods throughout, and beautiful place settings as we arrived and sat down. The kitchen had colorful displays of fresh vegetables and fruits and all the cooks and Chefs never seemed like they were working, but masterfully cooking without the hustle and bustle you normally see in a kitchen of a restaurant of this magnitude. We were happy to get seated at the kitchen bar, which is considered regular seating here, with place settings in place as well and it was a big advantage to be able to watch everything that was going on in the kitchen and right at the start, the service was going to be noticeably great. It was a little touch and go at first, as my wife and I do not speak French, but we were being helped by two different servers who were sensitive to that and they really timed our evening perfectly and helped us with our decisions. We have not been to a place like this in Paris, so it was imperative we ordered the right bottle of Bordeaux, and there probably is not a bad selection in the house. Our server opened the bottle and placed it in a nice bottle holder in front of us on the right angle for it to breathe. A beautiful basket of bread was served on the bar counter in front of us with Ex Virgin Oil and we were off to the races. We started out with their complimentary Cream Pea Gazpacho. Such a great start. We decided on two fish dishes, which looked like we can get a great flavor of the culinary creativity, which I can always tell in fish dishes more so than meat in this class of cooking. My wife had the Tapas Cod dish with a sweet glaze. Oh, how I wished this was bigger. Out of this world. I was ok, because I love Squid and ordered the Tapas Squid. All the flavors combined in this dish were amazing and served with a side of creamy mashed potatoes. Here is how I know Joel Robuchon is one of the best. I love Dover Sole, and tonight this was a must, as back in the US, Dover Sole can be hit or miss. Well in Paris, it doesn't have to travel far to get it real fresh. My wife and I decided to share and we were glad we did. The whole Dover Sole was filleted in front of us. It was a thick piece of fish, where is is not normally this meaty. It had to be sautéed and glazed because it had a perfect brown crust on the outside and so juicy inside. This was by far, the BEST Dover Sole I have ever had. And I would come back here just to have that. This will definitely be a place to come back to. All the culinary creations we saw around us at the bar area were mouth watering. As the evening went on, everything was starting to fill up. The tables back of us, on the side of us and at the bar. Everyone was having a great time. This is not a "stuffy" French restaurant, but inviting and classy at the same time. The fish is definitely the way to go here. I can't wait to try his other restaurants,, and there is one opening in Miami I know for sure. read more

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One of the best meals I've ever had EVER. Our engagement meal was this 3 Michelin Star restaurant. From the presentation to the textures to the flavors, every dish was mind-blowing. Truly was a phenomenal dining experience. The staff was very nice and treated us like royalty. The Bone In Medium - Bone marrow on toast with side salad plated to look like a little forest so rich and so soft. The salad was also deliciously crisp and tangy. Foie Gras - Homemade and fresh, topped with apples and this adorable bubble of jam. Popping it is half the fun. Amuse-Bouches Garlic potato and chives mousse La Langoustine - Lobster stuffed ravioli with truffle and green cabbage. Huge pieces of lobster tail inside. L'Aubergine - Eggplant with mozzarella and basil. A very neat way to present something simple. Amuse-Bouches Passionfruit mousse Black Cod - Miso marinated with crunchy cucumber and smoked aubergine cream. I don't even like fish and I loved this dish. Light fluffy cod with a variety of flavors that compliment each other so well. The Soufflé - Passionfruit, pineapple on top with Pina Colada sorbet. One of the hardest desserts to create but they did it perfectly. Airy and fluffy and perfect. Amuse-Bouches Madelines and caramels Would recommend to anyone anywhere. read more

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(Michelin ) One thing I'll always carry with me when I think back on my trip to Paris was, not only the food (cause it's amazing), but the smell of the food while walking up and down the streets (insert heart attack here). The smell of fresh baked breads, people prepping for brunch, the coffee around the cafes, the meat shops prepping jambon beurres, all of it, but this one was special. Even though I didn't get to try all the food I book marked for this trip (a lot were closed when I went by) L'Atelier covered ground for all of em. Amazing! This Michelin star restaurant delivered on all sides, even in price. Enough yapping, here's what I tucked into. Starter Gaspacho - I wish I could recall everything the server mentioned about this starter but, all I can recollect is damn, it was good. I do believe it served in a mustard infused foam but since it wasn't in the menu, that's all I got. Other than that, amazing. La Nicoise - Confit Tuna on Lettuce Hearts topped with crisp vegetables and quail eggs. Out of this world amazing L'os A Moelle - Ive had some amazing bone marrow in my time, but this hands down was the best I ever had (Drake line, jk). Served on a toast with mustard and small side of micro greens, this was mind blowing. Extremely tender, literally melted in my mouth like butter, no joke, seasoned perfectly, wow. Simply put, perfection. La Caille - Cutlets of Quail stuffed (yes stuffed) with Foie Gras, caramelized beautifully, with Truffle Laced Mashed Potatoes. Yoooooo!!!! ‍ My favorite dish of the night, a meal fit for royalty, for sure. There's nothing I've ever eaten before that I can compare this meal to. If you ever come across it, just order it haha. Insane flavor. La Noix De Coco - A crystallized Coconut sorbet at -200 degrees celsius, covered in a Mango Fraiche, topped with Citrus flakes. Pretty good but my socks stayed on. Worth a try though. read more

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Absolutely amazing experience! Everything was well prepared and fresh. The foie grois melted in your mouth. It's a must try if you're in Paris read more

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This place is a former star in the process of becoming a red dwarf, but thinks it is still rising. The food was decent. Nothing particularly imaginative and a bit heavy on the foams (one, ok. There were three in the tasting menu. This is not 2007 on the food network.). However, everything was well prepared, seasoned, and executed. The lamb was the standout. As we were leaving I got my coat from the coat check. I gave the kid at the coat check 2 euros for his trouble. He sneered at it and threw it into the back of the closet. Note this is on top of paying several hundred euros for two people, plus service. The arrogance and attitude completely ruined any positive feeling I may have had for this sorry establishment. There are other establishments that provide a better meal a better price without the attitude. read more

Another excellent meal, in interesting surroundings. Just a little uneven service, split between four servers, but the standards were easily met. What did strike me as odd were the two sepate older individuals who entered during my two-hour meal, each ordering a quick steak and a glass of wine, then leaving. Not expecting that, but quality ingredients, talented staff, why not? Both looked really delicious. I'll return soon, but I prefer something a little more interesting than just a steak. 2021 09 04. M1. read more

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Not worth time, hype and the food was lackluster. A repeat of techniques: Mousse, foam, cocotte... Disclaimer, I've only dined at Joel Robuchon in Las Vegas for business trips and felt stateside was better. This dinner was a treat from my dear friend. And I could not of course on Christmas Eve, say the food was terrible in front of her or to the staff at L'Atelier, but I hope they read this. But it was dismal. I didn't take any photos but this dessert. We had the 9 course holiday tasting. 1. Too much foam/ cream, felt dated and great for people who had dentures. No texture. 2. First two course were good, tomato/bacon soup and scallop carpaccio with caviar was delicious and then it all fell off the rails from there. Foie Gras, seems to be lost in the foam. Quality of the Foie was good, will give that to them. 3 Gyoza was really depressing and felt a local Japanese or Dim Sum restaurant could out shine them here. I felt they don't even make their own wrappers. 4. The egg, again in a "cocotte", more foam and then the egg in the bottom. A repeat of techniques. 5. Mousseline with broccoli, with two baby florettes of broccoli 6. Quail was actually the best thing, but tiny, friends had the lamb and complained it wasn't special and the lollipop size was tiny, 7. Pamplemousse - another foam, ok they called it sorbet, but I was thinking, again? 8. Chocolate- see below, well it good, I give it a 6 out of a 10. It wasn't outstanding. 9. Petit Fours, Madelines that tasted like it had "butter," a scant of sugar. I gave the camels to the teen with us. Ambiance, dated. Service, well not that great, they were training someone. I think they were nervous and often mumbled the courses to us. I didn't want to put him on the spot, especially in front of my host. Oh, one more thing, yes, we are American dinning and there was a solo French man who seem to get a little more service than all of us from one of the head chefs that night. So, let's do a count: Out of a 9 course offering, there was 6 mousse/ air enriched - foam/ cocotte techniques offered during this menu. How about grill, poach, roasting, braising.. .sauté techniques? read more

L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon - Dessert - French Near Me - Paris, 75

We had the tasting menu and it was amazing. We enjoyed every course. A wonderful way to celebrate my daughters birthday! read more

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Great food and service. Amazing ambience. It can get expensive but worth it. Definitely do not pass on this spot if into good French food with American feel. read more

Some of the staff was elitist and disrespectful. We got dirty looks for not finishing our plate. And paid over 1000 euros to leave hungry and dissappinted. The food was mediocre at best, and the portions were essentially non existent. We ordered grilled scallops and they gave us one small scallop over a spoonful of potatoe gratin. There's so many great and respectful places to eat in Paris, I would highly suggest anywhere else for a nice meal. read more

I'm not sure how to properly describe our experience... but here is my best effort: Arrived after confirming we would sit at the "chef's counter". She did not sit us there. We told her we specifically booked weeks ago for that spot and she said it wasn't possible. Sat at a table for 20 min with no greeting. Server came over and said "are you ready?" No wine list. Nothing. Ready? How about starting us with a drink or a greeting? Food was not warm. Filet was so heavily covered in peppercorns that's the only flavor you can taste. Server cleared table while husband was eating his bread. Don't waste you money. Literally a million places to eat that will treat you well and have great food. This was not one of them. We read the reviews prior to booking. This was not worth the money or time to be honest. read more

I'm visiting from the states and wanted to try some authentic French cuisine . I ordered the Discovery menu and wooooow, what an incredible food journey! The seared foie gras was amazing and the best foie gras I've had in Paris. The entrees--the lamb and quail (I shared my dish with another person since you can only choose one main entree) were superb. The chocolate ganache was absolutely mouth watering. Definitely recommend this two Michelin star restaurant. Well worth it if you're looking to experience authentic, elegant French cuisine. read more

L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon - Grilled Foie gras - French Near Me - Paris, 75

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It is a must go restaurant. Without saying anything, the quality of food and the severe are highly above the average level in Paris. The price of discovery menu is reasonable. I would say it is a must go choice for a fancy dinner in Paris. read more

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This restaurant is exceptional. Exceptional food. Exceptional service. Exceptional wine. Some of our favorites were the ceviche, truffle pasta, and pizza. I'd recommend against the prefixed menu though if you're not a big fan of foil gras. read more

This is a "must stop" restaurant in Paris, if possible. Joel Robuchon has passed away, but his acclaimed restaurants still survive. I've never had a bad bite in one of his restaurants. Terrific place. Every item on the menu is worth a try. read more

I blame Anthony Bourdain for raising my expectations to the stratosphere as he waxed profusely about Joël Robuchon's culinary artistry on his Travel Channel series, "No Reservations". I don't know what gastronomical orgasm I was expecting from this highly revered haute cuisine establishment, but I wasn't quite reaching for one of those skinny, filter-free French cigarettes after digesting a fine dinner here. I was impressed by a lot of things here, but it just wasn't quite the transcendent experience I kept reading about. After all, it consistently ranks right up there on Restaurant Magazine's list of the World's 50 Best Restaurants, so I was ready to genuflect at the first sign of a plate. I should explain I was in Paris for one day...yes, just one day as Jamie W. had never been to the City of Lights before, and we were just across the channel in London on holiday. He convinced me to take the 5:40AM Eurostar and sprint through a city that requires at least a year to explore. We had 12 hours. So I decided that if I was going to be in Paris, my first time in over a quarter-century, then I was determined to dine in style. The trick was that we had to be at the Gare du Nord station by 8:30PM to catch the Eurostar back. As it turned out, L'Atelier opened at 6:30PM. Parfait! We got here early after the Musée D'Orsay closed and posed in front of the row of Vespas in front of the restaurant on Rue Montalembert. I knew we would be seated at the counter from everything I read beforehand. It feels like a cross between a sushi and a tapas bar only very, very high-end luxuriant (photo: http://bit.ly/1hFgQcs). The menu is, of course, in French, and I thought my three years of high school French would save us from embarrassment. It didn't. I was also unrealistically hoping we could splurge and try the 12-course Discovery Menu for € 199 (photo: http://bit.ly/1iA7m3l), but we had roughly ninety minutes to dine and dash. Sans espoir! So we basically did the equivalent of wearing a blindfold and pointing our finger in the dark. While fretting over our choices, we enjoyed the complimentary Corbeille à Pain (Bread Basket) (photo: http://bit.ly/1efszUm). We're in Paris. Of course, they know how to bake. Jamie and I then each ordered appetizers or at least we think they were appetizers. The more modest of the two was the € 44 Le Thon Confit sur un Cœur de Laitue Garni de Fins Légumes Croquants, or tuna confit on a heart of lettuce and topped with crunchy vegetables (photo: http://bit.ly/1lOT6I4). It was a most flavorful Twinkie-size croquette. The far fancier creation was the € 33 La Langoustine en Papillote Croustillante au Basilic, or lobster in a crispy preparation with basil (photo: http://bit.ly/1gecIkq). Quite rich and much more in line with the Robuchon brand, I think. Our waiter then regaled us with a house specialty and the one dish Bourdain couldn't get over, the Pommes de Terre en Purée, Robuchon Style (photo: http://bit.ly/1gg1Qpr). That translates into mashed potatoes with the butter obviously taking a greater proportion of the dish than would be medically recommended. They were very good, but I was surprised this was considered THE dish to have here. A part of me must still crave the random potato chunk to break up the consistency, but no, the gloss and texture was beyond immaculate on these spuds. Jamie gravitated toward the Yankee implication of the € 46 Le Black Angus Grillé à la Plancha aux Echalotes Confites et Jeunes Pousses, an iron-grilled steak with caramelized shallots and sprouts decoratively presented with some sort of green emulsion (photo: http://bit.ly/1eqAPBi). It was hearty but honestly nothing that overwhelmed the senses. Jamie was a bit meh on it. Mine was more uniformly impressive, the € 49 Le Foie de Veau aux Rouelles d'Oignon Croustillantes et Son Jus Acidulé. This was a hefty portion of veal liver perfectly prepared with crispy onions and a sauce that was a tad on the sour side (photo: http://bit.ly/1lOTiXQ). I loved it. It had the perfect texture, velvety and not at all mealy. Now this was Paris. We ended our meal by sharing a most decadent dessert, the € 18 Chocolate Trend, a creamy chocolate ganache with cocoa nibs and an Oreo cookie inside (photo: http://bit.ly/1kbzy0H). It was rich but not overly sweet and frankly the ideal way to conclude our dining experience. While Robuchon was not there, his very young-looking staff was a blur of motion in creating the precise dishes (photo: http://bit.ly/1gee9iD). It's definitely worth a visit to this best-of-the-best French hot spot, but it didn't quite take our breath away. FOOD - 4 stars...impeccable presentations, some dishes quite wonderful, a few not as much AMBIANCE - 4 stars...very classy even if the counter approach was not my preference SERVICE - 5 stars...extremely accommodating...and we got a complimentary second helping of the mashed potatoes TOTAL - 4 stars...ah, so this is French haute cuisine read more

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