Really enjoyed the food here and the wine. The place itself is smaller than an alley and most people eat while they are standing because there aren't many seats but it was busy the whole time because of the good food options. Mainly seafood and tapas were average size , some are small, but unique twist on the dishes and everything tasted great. We tried almost half the menu and liked everything , the service was great and the drinks were on point. read more

My wife and I will always make time to visit this amazing little gem! Be prepared when you go, it's fast paced and you'll need to be able to keep up if you want the full experience. read more

L'Avant Comptoir - Tapas Bars Near Me - Paris, 75

This place is SO overrated, probably the worst tapas I've ever had. Every dish was under seasoned and tasted off. We started with a zucchini salad, zucchini was under cooked and insanely bland. Next, veal tartare with foie gras and crab--where was the foie gras? Veal was super chewy, bland, and served in big nasty chunks. Up next, a super bland and fishy ceviche.. leave ceviche to Peruvians, a dish frenchies have no clue on how to prepare properly. Only dish maybe worth trying was the cod croquettes, but ultimately very basic and something you could get anywhere else. The oysters were very good (only good thing) and the wine was also great. On top of all this, the server was incredibly arrogant. I asked to see an English menu and he responded with "why bother? If you know English then you can read french"... Do yourself a favor and avoid at all costs. read more

Intimate tapas bar with great wine selection! Came here on a recommendation and so glad I did because it could definitely slip under the radar. The staff was very helpful with French translation and recommendations. The dishes were absolutely delicious and I would definitely recommend! Got the fried cheese and pork belly! Overall a great experience. read more

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I am so happy they discontinued their gastro only reservation policy. That was a real pain... No need to make a reservation at all now. Now open every day from 12pm to 11pm (12:00-23:00) all year round. Place is a bit cramped, but Yves Camdeborde's fare makes for up that. read more

French food can be tricky.. can be too heavy for every day eats. Came here twice during our one week trip! It's perfect. Small bites which was all amazing. It can get crowded so going at off peak times is recommended! read more

This was a little bit of a rollercoaster. I hadn't really prepared or done much research (beyond the basics), and it's not the easiest place to navigate -- it's a big crowd, you have to wrestle for a spot at the bar, and the "menu" (ie the tiles hanging from the ceiling) is all in French. Plus, I initially (stupidly) didn't really understand the difference between this one and the one next door, which is seafood-focused. That said, it's well worth it when you do figure it out -- the food is really great. We got olives, fried chicken with french fries, ham croquettes, peel-and-eat shrimp, and two beef sandwiches (because the first was so amazing). The beef sandwich was definitely our favorite, but we really loved everything (besides for having to peel the shrimp), as well as their bread (and mound of butter). Overall, great food in a fun (if hectic) environment. read more

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400 GD reviews? How is this possible Anywho, what does one do for a nice round number like 400? I could do something grand like "the city of Paris" I guess..but that's just not me. Nah, instead let's talk about a place near and dear to my heart, and a place I recommend to everyone when they ask me where to eat in Paris, l'avant comptoir (the front counter). There are three of them in a row, la mer, l'avant comptoir de la terre, and just plain old l'avant comptoir (this is the biggest / most traditional). For me, you can't go wrong with any of them, and it really comes down to who you're with and what you're in the mood for: Oysters? La mer, bien sur. Steak? De la terre, voila. Still can't decide? Ce pas un problem, go to one of the small ones and drink wine until you figure it out. Yep, these little nooks are known, and always (ALWAYS) busy, but it's just a testament to how well they serve the tiny dishes that they do, and how well everything is paired with the wines that they offer. It's all good, and if you find yourself in Paris, you'd be sorry to miss any of them. I adore what these guys do, and how they do it. If you find it packed, head in anyway and stand; enjoy drinking that 6€ glass of wine that would cost you 25$ in NYC. Relax with the incredibly kind staff and nibble on something...anything you choose will be good (promise). A bientot, l'avant comptoir. read more

L'Avant Comptoir - Love - Tapas Bars Near Me - Paris, 75

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One of the best food I've ever had in Paris. Our friend recommended us to visit this special place and we are so glad that we went! Pro tips- when you want to be seated at the bar, stay next to the customers who look like they are almost finished eating. When they leave, take up that spot immediately otherwise rude tourist and locals will steal your spot. The servers won't back you up trust me. Do not feel rushed to eat fast enough because there are so many people waiting in the crowded restaurant. Food was so fresh and exceptional including their bread which was so addicting! We will definitely go back when we are in Paris again. read more

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In A Nutshell: -L'Avant Comptoir is located in the ritzy Saint-Germain neighborhood of Paris. -This small & narrow seafood & wine bar is right next door to it's cousin which is also small & narrow, but serves meat vs. seafood. -Seating is very limited so don't be surprised if you are standing. -The second challenge is to get service in a timely manner. -You really don't have to say much b/c you'll eventually be served, so make sure you take a look at the menu items which are hanging from the ceiling & also know which type of wine you want (just make it easy on yourself and choose a red or white, then go from there). -My friend & I ordered some fish & scallop carpaccio, which was superb. -You'll also have see a mound of butter on the bar, just help yourself to a scoop of it to go w/ your baguette. Overall, this place is too small to get a better rating from me & the service is a little slow. read more

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Stopped by for some food and wine with my gf on a short layover in Paris. The waitress was friendly and knowledgeable. Loved the food and wine selection. Last time I was here was yrs ago and this place hasn't skipped a beat. read more

Why 3 stars? Because I'd recommend just going for the blood sausage macaroon. --- --- --- We actually stopped here a couple of times, but for two completely opposite reasons. For our first visit, we were actually in a bit of a hurry and just grabbed two sandwiches on a baguette to go. The bread was so fat and chewy that it made it really difficult to eat. I felt like these would have been significantly better if toasted/heated up. For the second trip, I read reviews about the blood sausage macaroon, and just had to try it. It's tiny and very pricey for its size, but so amazing. My wife ordered a crepe, which was on par with a crepe you'd get at a food stand - super messy and of decent quality, but nothing special. As I mentioned at the top of the review - stop in, grab the macaroon and any of the other tapas style items, but skip everything else! read more

L'Avant Comptoir - Blood sausage macaroon - Tapas Bars Near Me - Paris, 75

Delicious affordable tapas, but beware of the pricey wine! We ordered a calamari/chorizo dish, duck hearts, and a beef carpaccio salad. Each dish incredibly delicious and memorable. The flavors lingered in our mouths long after. The house made bread is also amazing. So fresh with hearty kernels of grain evenly distributed throughout the crumb and the crust was crisp and crunchy. Bread heaven. The giant communal ball of butter was also very fresh! What I do wish was that there were prices in the wine. We had three glasses of different reds and the wine itself ended up costing $14, $14, $9 euros each! Had we known, we wouldn't have ordered wine. Each tapas dish costed less than $10 euros, so this was a shocker. read more

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No seating, standing room only. Staff speaks english. Cool little spot with menu cards on the ceiling. They have a sister location right next door that focuses on seafood dishes. You can order a bunch of small dishes. -blood sausage macaron - really good, recommend getting this for sure -beef carpaccio - tasty and nice flavor -hot dog - disappointing, don't order this The have a good wine selection and they accept credit cards. read more

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I still dream of the foie gras macaron that I had here years ago, paired with a lovely Vigonier/Sancerre blend. The whole experience was so fun and the staff could not have been sweeter to our 5 year old, who loved every bite. read more

This was a highlight of our last few nights in Paris during the Olympics. We received a warm welcome to the bar seating. The hotdog is a MUST and we also raved about the gazpacho. We were recommended to some out of the ordinary wines with our meal, which made the whole experience unique and high quality. read more

TLDR: first meal in Paris and we are off to a good start! _____ Fresh off the plane I met some of my best friends here who just happened to be in Paris at the same time. We were arriving, they were leaving and we had a small window to see each other. We Arrived and put our names on the list. We waited for a while - but luckily the bar next door is theirs and they came to get us when it was our turn. The bar next door is awesome by the way! Wine and brewed with the most amazing salted butter....best wait for a table I've ever experienced. We sat outside and even though it was a little cold, it was perfect. The dishes we got: Bone marrow - decadent. Really good. Bacon - not what I expected. Didn't love this. Cheese board - this was excellent! Great variety of cheeses. Chacuterie - meats to pair the cheeses with. Fantastic. Bottle of wine - why not? Overall this was a good meal and an amazing way to kick off our stay in Paris! A lot of friends commented how they couldn't believe we got a table here since the waits are usually so long. We got lucky I guess, :) read more

In a sharp contrast to well, much of Paris, this spot is not about history and not about the fancy nature of St Germain. When you visit, don't come here because Bourdain visited. This is a spot for locals, locals who know and love French food. It's a concept like no other, eating with strangers, standing up, ordering from a menu on the ceiling and enjoying some damn good wine. No other words, it was a hit in my book. If you do happen to be in the city alone, it's a great spot to make friends and enjoy a really delicious meal. A new Parisian friend that I met at the bar here was kind to let me try some of his food and frankly, I just let him order the rest of the meal for me. After all, who would know a local spot better than a local? Who am I to decipher the wording on the ceiling to determine what meal is what? The platter of seafood was spectacular, fresh delicious calamari, octopus and pure goodness. The folks behind the bar were relaxed, but also efficient and friendly. Seemed like a family atmosphere, an atmosphere that many, even family owned spots, struggle to create for the guests. Come here, dine, wine and be merry! read more

L'Avant Comptoir - Got whatever was on the ceiling...some delicious plate full of sea's best - Tapas Bars Near Me - Paris, 75

another place near our hotel and after having a fairly large lunch we just wanted a small snack in the evening. We came for the oysters and champagne. Did not disappoint! We also tried a couple of other appetizers (squid and tuna). Pretty decent champagne by the glass as well and fantastic service! read more

tip: for us americans, just look at all the yelp pix of the food, translate it, note it down on the phone and tell the waiter at bar you want those things. Too many to list but some notables were: fig sauce too salty, olives super tasty. House bread was probably the most underrated item of the night. read more

Had an incredibly delicious dinner for an evening to remember. Every item was tastier than the last. The highlight was a huge 12" long vat of country pâté for 10€!! with incredible bread. There was far more than we'd eat so we offered a taste to the charming women next to us and together we manage to eat 2/3 of it! (Much to the dismay of the waiter, who told us AFTER we put the pâté on the neighboring table that was frowned upon!) The beef stew was melt-in-your-mouth delicious, the Niçoise salad was wonderful, the white sausage with creamy potato purée was surprising and greasy and the fish was prepared uniquely in a cloud of whipped sauce - utterly amazing! Desserts were as artfully prepared as they were indulgent and super YUM! One of the most memorable & delicious meals we've had in Paris. Let me not forget - dinner for four with a bottle of wine came to €122. Would have paid far more for lesser quality in most other places!! And service was top notch! SIDE NOTE: throughout the evening the line was always at least 10-20 long waiting for a table. So that confirms its popularity with locals. Very happy to have discovered this not-so-secret gem!! FYI This place is also listed under Le Comptoir. read more

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Fantastic tapas bar!! My friend and I tried 4 different items and they were all fantastic. My fav was definitely the pork belly....bursting with flavor! If you want quality tapas, this is the place for you. Note that there are no tables. This is truly a tapas "bar". Great vibe. Great music. Super friendly Chef! These are the tapas we had: Caramelized pork belly Duck confit hot dog Artichoke vinaigrette Sausage w. potato puree read more

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Walked in after power shopping at the city pharmacy. Came to this place via yelp saying it was a good place to eat. Dont come here if you think there will be good service. The bar manager or owner has a bad attitude. Food wa good for tapas. Got the soup and pork belly. Other than that it was just ok. read more

If I could rent the broom closet and live in it I would. This place is amazing. The bartender was awesome and was enthusiastic about helping us pick out a great Rhone wine. We tried a lot of the items, and they were all wonderful but two stood out, and make the list of "best things I have ever eaten". Boudin Noir Macaron - might be th emost perfectly constructed and balanced bite of food, ever. Au Pied de Couchon - crispy, fatty, unctuous, and the roe was a perfect accoutrement. They absolutely made my day. I haven't eaten that well since visiting San Sebastian. I will never come to Paris again without visiting here. read more

L'Avant Comptoir - Tapas Bars Near Me - Paris, 75

How could I not have reviewed one of my favorite places to dine in Paris immediately after my trip? This was the first place my boyfriend and I had a proper meal (even though it's just tapas). We came in pretty early on a Friday (it was probably not even 5 PM) and this place was crowded! Luckily, everyone was just finishing their tapas so we ended up having the whole place to ourselves for maybe about 10 minutes before it filled right back up again! There are no seats here, just a bar you stand at to enjoy food and meet your neighbors! I can see how if it gets crowded, the service wouldn't be too good because when we were there, there was only two people preparing the food. That and you really need to get their attention to order things. On the bar table there is bread and pickles to be shared by all. Boyfriend didn't know that at first and politely asked one of the chefs that was working. The menu is just items with pictures hanging from the ceiling with their names in French. My boyfriend had a fun time trying to pronounce everything. We ordered: Croquettes de jambon: delicious! Brandade de more gratinee, huile d'olive: was okay Mini sandwich au lard moutarde savora: boyfriend loved, I thought it was okay Pan fried pork belly: SOO good! Salty macaron: (sorry some of my pictures went missing and I don't have the proper names anymore!) was surprisingly good. never had a salty one before, but it was pretty tasty! My only regret was that we didn't have time to come back to eat here a second time. And I never got to try their crepes. So many nights I went to the window only to be told I was too late! read more

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We were heading to Luxembourg Gardens off of a lunch, so did not venture into the French tapas restaurant that laid beyond the swine emblazoned plastic curtains, spelling the entrance to L'Avant Comptoir. However, we had heard tales of the takeaway creperie shop that fronted the restaurant. Apparently they made some of the most delicious no-nonsense crepes in Paris. I went with a classic crepe with Nutella, and was rewarded with a piping hot creation with a generous smear of the hazelnut spread, freshly prepared in full view by the friendly fella. Crispy on the edges, with a sweet crepe batter, and a generous amount of Nutella - they had the right balance when it came to this simple and classic Parisian snack. During our walk to Luxembourg, we were happily downing the crepes with sauce everywhere. I would come back in a heartbeat to get another perfect crepe and to try the restaurant. read more

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L'Avant Comptoir was possibly the best food experience we had while in Paris. The moment we stepped inside, we were acknowledged by the bartender/waiter and we knew we were in good hands to order food and wine all night. Yes, this place is packed, and yes, you are going to need to figure out your way in to get some standing area, but trust me, it's worth it. Things you must get: a recommendation for a glass of wine. The seared foie gras. The beef carpaccio, there was this pink looking shooter of crab with some cream foam on top that i don't know what its called but you should still order, the croquettes au jambon. And don't be afraid to ask them for their favorites and order them too. Every thing we ate delighted us. If it were possible, we were definitely drunk on food. read more

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Came here in September during my Eurotrip with friends. This place was highly recommended by my friend's cousin's friend. Since it was highly recommended, I had high expectations for the place, food, ambiance and service. Coming to the restaurant, we had to wait a while since they were super busy and the place was small. We finally got seated - it took us some time to look at the menu. It was difficult to understand and a few of us had questions. My friends ended up ordering the same thing that looked soapy when they served it to our table. They said it was good but the presentation and price wasn't worth it. My other friend and I decided to take a risk and order something else, I ended up getting salmon and my friend got the sausage. When they brought my meal out, there was no way I could have eaten it... It was raw salmon that had a crazy aroma!! I literally wanted to puke! My friend's sausage didn't look appetizing either. I ended up not eating my meal and thank goodness my friend's cousin was able to get it off our tab. (1star for that) Overall experience was horrific! Even the service wasn't the greatest! Our first dinner in Paris was so much better with awesome food and superior/friendly service which we did not experience at this restaurant. read more

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Food was delicious, service was good. Make a reservation! We were a party of two and realized how lucky we were to get a table around 7pm. The restaurant filled up quickly and there was a wait for tables. read more

(5/5) Brochette Foie Gras Piquillos (9E) - foie gras and peppers- our favorite dish. The foie gras was very flavorful and cooked well. (5/5) Poulet Frit (8.5E) - Fried chicken w/ fries- 2nd favorite dish. 2 pieces of chicken that were crispy and moist. (4/5) __ de boeuf parmesan cibuoulette (6.5E) - carpaccio with parmesan - good, but the carpaccio didn't look like beef because it was white-ish and not what we expected (looked cooked). The pics online look red, so we wondered if he gave us a different meat. Nice to eat w/ the complimentary bread. The sauce drizzled on top was good. (3/5) Foie gras macaron (5E)- this was an interesting combination of flavors. I liked the lemon jam which was sweet and the macaron. (2/5) Gauffre jambon artichaut (5E) - ham on waffle- Meh, basically what you would expect... ham on a plain waffle. I did like the artichoke spread, but I'd pass to try other things. Cons: Pricey for the amount of food, but it was a good experience. I wanted to try many more items, but these 5 were already $41 for 2 of us. Service was SUPER slow despite there being only 2 other people initially. We waited a long time in between dishes so don't come hungry. Server wasn't that friendly, especially when we asked for an English menu. The menu hanging from the ceiling is a cool concept, but it's difficult to see. Credit card accepted. read more

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The food was delicious and the experience was fun. I highly recommend you pop in for a small bite if you are in the area.

Delicious & nutritious. Eat the ham and drink the wine. You will not be disappointed.

This place is a gem. We only had 2 nights in Paris and came across this wine/tapas bar on our first night. We ended up staying the whole night because it was so fun. It's a casual standing room only spot where you simply enjoy a variety of wines, eat yummy tapas and listen to good music. All good vibes - from the drinks, food, and people. We met two couples, one from California and one from London and spent the whole night just chatting about everything. The bartenders were super sweet and attentive. I would highly recommend this spot if you go to Paris. read more

L'Avant Comptoir - The menus - on the ceiling - Tapas Bars Near Me - Paris, 75

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I was recommended by a friend we had to eat here when we were visiting Paris. It's definitely worth the hype! The restaurant itself is a small bar with maybe about 10 seats? Grab a seat if you're lucky or feel free to stand along the back. Get cozy with everyone else by sharing the bread and giant communal butter. Order your small plates/tapas from the pictures hanging all over the ceiling. The servers were super friendly and helpful in making popular recommendations. I love to pig mermaid logo on the wine glasses! My Top Must Try Dishes: - Pork Belly - Seared Foie Gras with Cherries - Blood Sausage Macaron - Fried Chicken with Fries - Ham Croquettes Everything is delicious though! You really can't go wrong. A lot of people were ordering the calamari. The delicious smell still haunts me today. We should of got that, but we were already so full. The wine, food flavors, atmosphere, everything is great. Very cool hang out spot!! We went around 2-3pm on a Saturday. Had to stand along the back at first, but after about 10 minutes a spot at the bar opened up. Be patient, like I said it is worth it! read more

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Arrived early since we heard about the limited space situation and was surprised to find the place quite empty around 5-6pm on a weekday. A friendly reminder that the place is separated into two spaces one for seafood and the other for meats and are right next to each other. So after sampling seafood dishes hope over next door for more delicious food. We started the night off with mussels were served in a kettle where they poured the sauce out so you can dip all of your bread in! The sardines were delicious and this is coming from a girl that usually thinks everything is too fishy. The ceviche had a fruity crunchy topping that really rounds the acidic flavors. The tartare was also a hit at our table! Next door we got the asparagus which was good but also came from a jar so you can basically make it at home after hitting the grocery store for some pickled asparagus and balsamic dressing. The fois gras black cherry was delicious but was also came in the tiniest piece i guess for the price it was a decent size. The crab gratin came out piping hot and tasted great but is a little heavy. Overall a good place for some delicious food but must be okay with standing! read more

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Magical. You're gonna be standing for awhile, be ready. Balthazar will treat you like family. This place celebrates natural wine like no other, not organic, natural. It's very distinctive and specific and can be challenging and new. Some of it is funky while others sweet. Ran into Wendy from Paris is my kitchen and we became instant friends. We invited all our friends in town and we had the back half all to ourselves bumping 90's hip hop to 80's rock (thanks to Wendy.) The food is spectacular. The asparagus with the burre blanc was heaven, the croquettes perfect, the steak tartare was magical, the bread and butter pairs perfectly with the wines, this is hands down the best casual meal I've ever had in Paris. We got so much other food, everything was perfection. This was a legendary night for me and our ten friends. Balthazar let us buy a couple bottles and we made our way down the river to watch the lights, bellies full and our hearts filled with memories I don't think any of us will forget. read more

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When I visited Paris last week, I had stopped by here by a recommendation of a friend and also recommended by Bourdain! This place was amazing and lives up the hype. I got in around 3pm and was greeted by the friendly person behind the countertop. I sat down and got freshly sliced Parisian bread with this godly butter. Combining the two with salt and some olive oil was heaven in my mouth. Second the dozen of oysters were fantastic and did not disappoint! I had two glasses of red and one glass of bubbles, each were at the recommendation of the kind gentleman behind the countertop. I definitely recommend coming here early to grab a seat and enjoy the ambiance! read more

We spent 3 days in Paris and had two of our meals at L'Avant Comptoir. We certainly would have ventured back one more time if we could have. A tiny hole in the wall with a fun concept and some of the best food we had in Paris. The venue itself is fairly small and cozy. We went midweek around 2pm each day and had no issue snagging one of the seats at the bar. The "menu" consists of plaques that hang from the ceiling with a photo, item name and price. The plates are smaller and not overly priced which gives the opportunity to try a good variety of items. Service was friendly and helpful. They suggested a few menu items to get us started and let us sample a few different wines to see what we liked best. They play awesome music too! The FOOD! Do yourself a favor and get two orders of ham croquettes right off the bat. These were the best I've ever had which says a lot coming from South Florida. Our other favorite item was the seared foie gras which was perfectly cooked and incredibly flavorful. And the BUTTER! There are these glorious mounds of salted butter on the bar that will make your day. Other worthy mentions: citron foie gras macaron, mushroom skillet, creme brûlée This spot is worth every 5 star review it's received and we can't wait to get back for our next bite read more

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I had my best meal in Paris at L'Avant Comptoir. We got there shortly after 12:30pm, and there was a line out the door, but we noticed that some people were bypassing the line and going straight inside. It turns out that the line is for the creperie in the front - L'Avant Comptoir is the wine bar in the back, so you can bypass the line and go straight inside, assuming that you can squeeze up to the bar. The "menu" consists of signs with pictures dangling from the ceiling, reminiscent of a Japanese Izakaya. The signs are entirely in French, but you can mostly make out what you're ordering based on the photos. The magical Google Translate app helped to fill in the gaps. The bartender took very good care of us and helped coach me with the French pronunciations. (I'd butcher all the names, and he'd repeat them in French and have me attempt to pronounce them correctly in a very patient and friendly way) Some of the highlights included calf's kidney (rognons de veux) which were very delicate and quite rare and bloody, and the fois gras. The bread and butter (which is just served communally at the bar) is amazing too. The bartender suggested a nice white wine for our meal. I'm not sure what it was, but it was just perfect. read more

L'Avant Comptoir - Rognon de veux (calf's kidneys) - Tapas Bars Near Me - Paris, 75

Absolutely fantastic tapas bar! They have unique dishes and great customer service! I loved the wine that the male bartender recommended, as well as each dish he suggested. The pork and carpaccio were bomb! I'd return here in a heart beat. It gets packed, but don't let that intimidate you, stand your ground! read more

L'Avant Comptoir - White Chardonnay - Tapas Bars Near Me - Paris, 75