Absolutely superb. Excellent service and attention to detail. For a place that is so high in demand and quite central to tourist destinations, they handle their popularity with dexterity. The maitre'd was so pleasant even though we didn't have a reservation (reservations are absolutely recommended). We arrived on Monday night in June at 8pm and snagged the last table without a reservation. From this vantage point we saw countless couples turned away. As for the food, very traditional and above average. I had the fish special and my husband had the steak frites. We chose 4 stars because the creme brûlée was a little cold and the street was a little noisy. But really, this is a truly wonderful restaurant for a delicious and true French dining experience. read more

Great service. Great food. Great location. Friendly to Americans. We had a great bottle of wine. The location is what you picture in a movie. read more

I celebrated my Birthday at La Fontaine de Mars this year. We made reservation in advance to make sure we will have a table as the restaurant gets packed. Service is on point food is delicious. Foie gras melts in your mouth. If you can get a seat outside but wherever you seat you will enjoy amazing wine selection and food. This is one of the locals favorite spot and not too many tourists visit the restaurant. Enjoy! read more

What a great place to go in Paris. I visit at least once a day while in the city. Great to swing by for an espresso or a glass of wine it can get very busy, especially when the weather is nice but the vibe is simply amazing. read more

Great food . I had the duck confit and it was amazing . Next time I'm in Paris I'll go again. read more

La Fontaine de Mars - Duck Confit - French Near Me - Paris, 75

Definitely NOT a tourist trap! Everyone around us were french and the food was DELICIOUS! It is Wednesday and I had their plate of the day, cow du vin, and it was amazing. The food was delicious as well as their house wine. The staff was very helpful and spoke English. Everyone was very polite and respectful and again, the food was delicious. It has a great location as far as being walking distance from the Eiffel Tower. I highly recommend this place. read more

La Fontaine de Mars - Coq du vin - French Near Me - Paris, 75

Ate here by accident! Didn't know that this was such a "recommended" restaurant for tourists. We were in line for 30 minutes without a reservation for dinner and they were able to give us a table (we didn't really want to walk anymore so we just opted to wait outside for dinner opening). Friendly folks I must say, and they're very much willing to help you out with their specialties. My friends had the duck confit and I had the chicken with wild mushroom cream. Of course, we had some escargot but I enjoyed the escargot I had earlier in another restaurant with shells on it. Probably a must try for a foreigner. But for a group of three that didn't have a reservation, it was a quite a saving grace to our rough evening. We're Filipino so I'm happy I didn't encounter even an ounce of discrimination from this establishment contrary to earlier experience! read more

La Fontaine de Mars - Waiter recommended Chicken with wild mushroom cream sauce on rice. My friends had the duck confit and steak which is also a specialty. - French Near Me - Paris, 75

This restaurant was incredible! I was in Paris last week with my mom and we went to dinner here one night after visiting the Eiffel Tower. We shared a bottle of red wine which was superb. My mom got the Veal which came with the most amazing potatoes au gratin that I have ever tasted! The mushroom sauce that came with it was also wonderful. I got the steak and fries which was also delicious! We got the creme brûlée and chocolate mousse for dessert which were phenomenal! Overall this restaurant was one of the best I have ever been to. The service, food and wine were all great. If I ever go back to Paris I will absolutely be coming back! read more

We ate here on June 4, 2016 in celebration. This is our 2nd time here and the food experience surpassed the last experience. We ordered the special the baby lamb, the salmon and the duck. The meals were so good, the flavor, the portion size and their service were all excellent! We had a joyous time and we loved how the staff were multi lingual. We made these reservations a month in advance! That was so important for us!! We had a great seat and we are every bite. This is a must do and if you ever come to Paris please come here to eat! This is also the same restaurant Prez Obama and Michelle went to back in '09!! Excellent food and attentive service! read more

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A wonderful place with impeccable service and delicious food! We sampled a bit of everything - escargot, meat board (a must have as they slice it right in front of you and it's not over salted). I started not to order the roasted chicken with mashed potatoes but I'm glad I did - it was really good! My husband order the whitefish but it was really small so he ended up eating half of my chicken. The dessert was perfect. Strawberries with pistachio ice cream. Do yourself a favor and get it!! read more

On my last trip to Paris, I was staying in the 7th, and the owner of the apartment I rented recommended several restaurants in the area. We first tried coming on a Sunday night, and were told it would be a 2 hour wait. We ended up making a reservation for another evening. It is a very busy restaurant in a courtyard - the other restaurants in the area are also very good (see my review for Bistro St. Dominique). I would suggest booking a reservation if you're able to. The meal was very good - authentic French food. I was finally able to try Coq Au Vin and it was delicious! They also had the most delicious fresh asparagus on special. read more

An amazing dinner from start to finish do yourself a favor and dine here We all loved it read more

This was my favourite restaurant at university, it is changing slightly in all these years but the memory is always there. Food are always good, however the potato with the duck confit is no longer same as the past, it is only simply sliced roast potato now. Pig cheek is no longer here, I miss it. Deserts are lovely. And I am proud of the wine list though it is much shorter now. read more

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BAD VIBES!!!!!!!!! We came here after dying to try it because I heard that a lot of famous people stop in when they are in town. The waiters were rude, condescending and made us feel unwelcome & uncomfortable frankly. In my opinion, I think that they think super highly of themselves because of the Obamas and more coming in and treat the "nobody's" with disrespect. Classless and distasteful. The rudest thing was when we ordered a bottle of wine, looked at me waiting for me to order my main course. I said "I'm sorry I'm not sure what I want to eat yet." He then proceeds to look at my boyfriend and say "Are you eating? Are you aware that this is a restaurant?" ??? clearly we know. So unacceptable. There was another waiter that gave the manager a sign with his hands as we walked up the stairs where they sat all the other Americans, so weird. My boyfriend's meal was honestly very good - that's why i give it a two, but the staff made the experience not worth it. I didn't even order a meal because I didn't want to support this business, went to another restaurant straight after. Was dying to get out of there. I'm honestly upset. You never know who you are serving - it's so important to treat everyone with respect. There are so many places to eat in Paris - do yourself a favor and venture out to all the amazing restaurants that treat guests with open arms! read more

The best restaurant we visited in Paris. My wife had the pork lentil soup and I had the steak. Both were excellent as was the wine and the service. The owner came by to chat with us and I let slip was the wife's Bday. After dinner, he returned with some cake and a few workers and they all sang HBD in French to my wife. Was a great experience all the way around. read more

Delicious! I came here after reading a Yelp review that said they make a good coq au vin. Well, maybe they do...but I never found out, because they only make coq au vin on Wednesdays! Remember that. :) read more

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I was hesitant about this spot due to the proximity to a tourist destination, the Eiffel Tower. However, the waiter was super helpful in helping me decide if I wanted duck or the coq au vin. In the end I decided on duck and I was not disappointed. This place is a very nice bistro with a mix of tourists and locals. I spoke French with my waiter but he speaks English and they have an English menu as well. Enjoy!! read more

We had a long lunch here. The duck was superb. Escargot tasty. Wine list excellent. Lots of tourists but doesn't seem touristy once you are in. Oh, they also speak English. read more

I was only in Paris for a night, and a friend who knows the city well recommended La Fontaine to me for my one bistro experience in the City of Lights. I went with high expectations, but those expectations were exceeded from the beginning of my experience. From the moment I arrived, I was greeted with warmth and hospitality that was similar to what one might experience in the American South, and certainly not what Americans expect in Paris. I was invited to wait for my table by the bar, and I was offered a glass of French red wine for my wait. Once I received my table, my servers were timely and attentive. They were knowledgeable of the menu, made excellent recommendations and checked on me frequently. I chose the evening's special of steak and frites, and am happy that I did. I love this entree in any French restaurant but this was extra special. The steak was juicy and tender, and the fries were crisp, salted and thin cut. I ate every bite then ordered the beautiful meringue dessert, which was artfully displayed with yellow sweet butter sauce dripping over the meringue and into the dish below. The food was memorable, but most of all, it was the warm welcome and the treatment I experienced that would bring me back. read more

Hands down the best dinner my husband and I had in Paris. Amazing food and super friendly service. The restaurant itself is charming as was our server - who made excellent recommendations and really made us feel welcome. We hit up this place right as they opened on a Wednesday night - which just so happens to be coq au vin night. (They have a different special for each night of the week). It was outrageously delicious. My husband, who ordered fish and loved it, helped himself to several bites of my dish as well. I wish I could remember the wine we ordered because that was superb as well. For dessert, we had ice cream (Berthillion served here) which was great. Chocolate and caramel all the way. Go here. I'd recommend making a reservation though as it filled up super fast after we sat down. read more

This is real French food! Very romantic and traditional. Heavy, but oh so delicious. After dinner, we walked around the area and it's a really cute area! President Obama came her with his wife, Michelle, for a romantic dinner. It was the only restaurant they visited in Paris so that tells you something! By the way, I recommend the foie gras. read more

I had ended up choosing this restaurant because they had an English menu and it seemed like a good place to try (given Obama ate here before). I had made reservations through the phone (they don't take it via email) and had a bit of a difficult time hearing the accent through the phone however I thought I had made the correct reservations. Turns out though that when I got there, they claim they didn't have it jotted down. After a little bit of confusion, they were still able to seat us which worked out well. The staff was very pleasant and helpful and the meal was decent. We had the foie gras to start and I think out of our entire trip in Paris, this probably had to be the most rich and flavorful foie gras out of all the other places that we've tried. My fiance and I both had duck for our main entrees - one was the duck confit, and the other was the duck breast. I thought the duck confit would've been better as it was too dry and the duck breast was a bit tough and a little underwhelming. We've definitely had better meals in Paris, but the foie gras is by far the most memorable. read more

We had visited La Fontaine de Mars about 10 years ago, and had fond memories, so we went back. Once again, we had a fantastic experience. The food, service and atmosphere were very good. Sitting outside on the patio with heaters, and watching the Paris life go by felt like something out of a movie, very lovely, very romantic. We really enjoyed the presentation of the snails (escargot), "sans" shell. My wife actually preferred it to the usual in-shell presentation. I thought the snails were better than most, but prefer a more buttery, garlicky preparation. My steak a poivre (choice de boucher) was supposed to be medium at the waiter's recommendation, but came out more rare - not even medium rare! - I still enjoyed it, and ate it as served, but parts of it were chewy and gristly, which detracted from my enjoyment. The sauce was great. We had a lovely sauterne for dessert. It's amazing to me that the French can do such a thick, syrupy wine, and yet not let it get too sweet. It was the perfect end to a very nice meal. If we go back to Paris soon, I wouldn't run back to La Fontaine, but if there is another long interval, I would seek it out again. read more

Um, I've eaten here every single time I've been to Paris and haven't been let down yet. Heck, next time I go, I'll be happy to give this very sweet traditional Basque restaurant another go. As much as I hate to admit it, this little gem is very tourist friendly and not necessarily the hippest place in town. However, the menu is solid, the staff impeccably capable and attentive and the location (especially if you can get a table outside near the actual fountain) is lovely. read more

We stumble pip this restaurant three years ago and decided to try it again this week as we passed through Paris. The service was excellent as we had made reservations in advanced but were not confirmed so we had no table during a busy Saturday evening yet were accommodated quickly in a nice corner table. For starters, the pate was delicious and plenty for two people. The special that day was lamb, which was nicely prepared and very tender. I also appreciated that the staff takes its time to explain the dishes, especially their list of desserts. read more

La Fontaine de Mars - Lamb special - French Near Me - Paris, 75

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I should not review this restaurant--because my review will be glowing and more people will discover F de M and thus crowd the likes of me out!--though, as President and Mrs. Obama, inter famous alia, dined here, it's probably not like the world's best kept secret. I lived very close to F de M in Paris' storied 7th on a work assignment for several months and thus would eat at F de M about once a week; it wasn't nearly often enough. I should note that before living in France, I had never really eaten or been interested in French food. I "discovered" F de M on a neighborhood walk and was converted upon my first "repas." I tried to not have the "formule" when I was in France (in Ile de France and some other parts of France, it is generally assumed that one will have three courses at dinner in a restaurant--the "formule," which Americans may know as a Prix Fixe menu), but I almost always did at Fontaine de Mars--all courses were mother-fucking divine. The confit canard, a personal favorite, was great, but the saumon, the boeuf, the coq au vin were similarly perfect. For dessert, the mousse, the lemon island thing and the baba rhum--rum cake, where as much rum as you prefer is added to a sponge cake before your very eyes!--should either be served in heaven or just prior to eternal damnation. F de M is in France, so the wine is good even without trying to be so. The restaurant space is beautiful--downstairs perhaps being a little more formal and upstairs being intimate--the sort of place where tourists' and others' memories might be made. There's also outdoor dining in good weather. Service in France is very different than in the U.S.--wait persons are generally formal--but truly "at your service"--which formality I think many Americans often mis-comprehend as rudeness. Le Fontaine is in keeping with traditional paradigms for French service, but all of the front-facing folks speak perfect English and seem to have an awareness of American expectations around these matters. I was living alone when I was in Paris and thus generally dined alone--I was always treated supremely well at F de M (it's amazing how far a "bonjour" or a "merci" will go--the French are generally not rude, they merely want a little respect for an estimable culture and a language that they rightly fear may be dying, but I digress). It perhaps bears mentioning that F de M is owned by the same family that owns the Cafe de L'Alma on nearby Avenue Rapp. The Cafe is excellent, but lacks the magic, the je ne sais quois du Fontaine. I'm not the world's most sophisticated French diner (nor the world's most sophisticated American diner!), so if you're looking for the trendiest, uber-hip "beautiful people" recommendations, don't put any stock in the reviews of this son of civil servants. With that qualification, I can truly say that some of the best meals of my life to date have been at Le Fontaine de Mars. read more

La Fontaine de Mars is a Fantastic restaurant for fine dining with impeccable Service. I was there for dinner Friday night with a friend & we both enjoyed the Duck Confit with potatoes & a bottle of White wine. The meal was well prepared & I will return again. read more

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Really good. Really fun. Really French. This is not haute cuisine, but French as our grandfathers knew it. Cassoulet, Boudin Noir, Foie Gras, Blanquette de Veau- all served in hearty portions by extremely friendly waiters and waitresses in a crowded, noisy and slightly, but not overly touristy setting. Looking forward to next trip to Paris and a return visit to La Fontaine de Mars. read more

I can die fulfilled. WOW. There is no was this can't be 5 stars. Eggs in Purple Sauce. Duck Confit. Millefuille. Amazing. read more

La Fontaine de Mars - French Near Me - Paris, 75

Terrible restaurant! To start the food was mediocre despite the expensive prices, we overlooked that. We ventured through our meal and was very unpleased. The snails needed salt and the dessert took forever to get. The creme brulee which they say they are "famous" for is overrated. DO NOT EAT HERE. To make matters worse.... we saw a RAT running through the restaurant, we told the waiter and he said he was taking care of it later. Like really...? This restaurant should be shut down ASAP! It's a health hazard. I vomited as soon as I got back to my hotel. GROSS AND UNSANITARY!!!! read more

Mmm... best escargot I've had so far! Still reiminiscing.... Super long wait without reservations, but they still accepted our walk-in (seated outside). read more

Delicious! Had the pate and chicken with mushrooms and rice pilaf. I know, go all the way to Paris and did not have an adventurous meal. The simplest preparations tell the tale. My friends had a scallop cassoulet in a pumpkin sauce. Who knew? Absolutely marvelous. Go early. Not much room. Get a bottle of wine. Relax. About 50 euro per person. Worth it. read more

La Fontaine de Mars - La Fontaine de Mars - French Near Me - Paris, 75

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Very nice restaurant, first dinner in Paris, near Mars platz and tower Eiffel. Sitting outside is also nice. Foods are good typical French, worth for a decent dinner. read more

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Very good food at a slightly upscale price. The main restaurant is very nice. The seating outside is right on a small roadway so not as nice but adequate. All of the food we ate was prepared well and served with a variety of vegetables and sauces. I'd go back again when next in Paris read more

Magnifique! Our hôtel recommended this restaurant and we weren't disappointed. A reservation is necessary, especially for dinner. We ate upstairs, which I would recommend if you're looking for something a bit more private and less bustling (obviously a personal choice). The food was EXCELLENT. Even for Paris, the meal was excellent. We would highly recommend the eggs "Madiran" and the steak frites (cooked perfectly!). Our server was absolutely delightful and extremely patient with my rusty French. He dispelled every stereotype of impolite French service and was perfectly attentive and helpful. We were also charmed by how many apparent regulars came by and greeted the staff with kisses and warm words. The restaurant is also very close to the Eiffel Tower, which makes for a perfect post-meal stroll. Highly recommended!! read more

The food was delicious and the staff were very nice. Short trip away from Eiffel Tower. Would recommend

Delicious dinner here. I've been to Paris many times and this is Olone of the best restaurants for classic French fare.... duck confit, escargots, foie gras terrine, etc. Excellent, friendly service and a nice location. We sat outside. Definitely recommend!! read more

A typical French Bisto with decent service but about average food. The menu was pre-fix, so three courses (appetizer, entree and dessert). They had a few specials but by the time we were able to order the steak tare tare was gone... I ordered a fish and my husband ordered steak frites. My fish was under seasoned, the potatoes au-gratin and steak were decent but certainly nothing special, we have had better at several French Bistros where we live. Overall, the service was attentive and food was average if I had a choice I would not go back there again. read more

Despite the fact that the obamas once ate here, I decided to go to dinner one weekend evening. I took the precaution of reserving a day in advance, as walk-ins cannot generally be accommodated. As many of the other hundreds of reviews have noted, the service is great, the prices are high, and the food is just average. There you go. read more

Such a charming restaurant! Everything placed on our table was delicious, and the service was attentive and exceptional. We shared the salmon (delicious, flavorful & succulent), the honey goat cheese (one of my favorites!) and the vanilla bean creme brulee. I would eat here every night if my budget allowed for it! read more