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    Le Voltaire

    4.0 (64 reviews)
    ModerateFrench
    Closed Closed

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    Private U.

    The highlight of my fourth trip to Paris and I'm reviewing this restaurant while drinking a glass of port in the restaurant! I find Voltaire's books highly entertaining, especially when he starts making fun of authority figures and institutions - no one is immune. Not the monarchy, nor the church, nor government institutions. This restaurant was once a horse stable below Voltaire's apartment, where he put his own life in great danger with his wit and satire (in his writings). Sometime between World War I and II, the stable was converted into this restaurant. All I got over here was a glass of port. It was worth every drop! To Voltaire! P.S. The service was amazing here.

    Bread
    Mel P.

    Location and recommendation from a friend sold us on Le Voltaire. It was recommended for dinner but we didn't have the time. Couldn't get them to answer phone for a reservation so we decided to hedge our bets and miss the last couple rooms of the Musee D'Orsay to be there for 12 pm when they opened. We probably could have waited another 30 minutes because we obviously caught them still getting ready for service. Bread service and radishes to start. We did take a little time deciding what to have because my husband wanted everything. Opted for escargot again because we wanted to compare to our last restaurant and they didn't disappoint. They had a problem with the wild boar pate so we upgraded to the foie gras it was considerably more expensive but the snails were so much less than other starters we figured it all even out. Get the pâté, it was really very good. Husband ordered the filet au poivre medium rare and I had the sole meunière. Both excellent choices, we didn't realize all the sides that would be coming along, three kinds of potato plus haricot verts which were one of the highlights to the meal. Bottle of wine and a tarte tatin to finish it off. It was heavy and buttery but my last opportunity to have one in Paris. We asked the server about lunch versus dinner and she said the ambience is completely different at night. Most people we saw seemed like couples meeting for work lunch or larger groups. It was all very old school but we were happy we went, even if it was lunch time.

    Heirloom tomatoes with burrata

    It's almost doubled priced than the other restaurants in the vicinity, but well worth it.If you don't mind paying for an awesome food then I would really recommend this iconic restaurant.

    David S.

    I almost completely forgot about the restaurant in my attempt to finish off all of my reviews of Paris before the year was up. Anyway, I ended up coming here namely because of the name, and also because we were looking for a place to have something to eat, and the Louvre wasn't an option on the grounds that it was closed. Anyway, despite the fact that this place happens to be on the Sienne (well, not quite because it is across the road), it isn't as pricey as I would've expected. The staff were also quite nice, and the steak went down really, really well. Certainly worth checking out, especially for the steak.

    Jinel G.

    Great experience here. This a very classy venue. The service was top notch. The bread was excellent. We had lunch here. I got the French onion soup. My husband got the salmon plate. The food was delicious!

    Fantastic meal, excellent frites!

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    7 years ago

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    8 years ago

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    10 years ago

    Amazing food, impeccable service. This restaurant reminds me of why I love Paris so much.

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    11 years ago

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    13 years ago

    A delightful lunch. Authentic , delicious and a friendly staff. Close to the museums and definitely worth a try

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    10 years ago

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    Page 2 of 2

    Le Voltaire Reviews in Other Languages

    Review Highlights - Le Voltaire

    This is near both the Orsay and the Louvre and makes for a decadent lunch at the end of a long museum haul.

    Mentioned in 3 reviews

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    Le Comptoir de la Gastronomie - An amazing French onion soup...

    Le Comptoir de la Gastronomie

    4.5(1.5k reviews)
    1.3 kmChâtelet/Les Halles, 1er
    €€

    The most life- changing experience with French cuisine. This is what French culinary dreams are…read moremade of. Get the appetizer grilled foie gras with side of greens, you won't regret it. The richness of the flavor and the texture which is not reminiscent of the traditional roasted duck or foie gras, but rather a much more like a luxurious and indulgent version. We enjoyed our dinner on the outside of the restaurant after about a 20-30 minute wait. The bone marrow had the best flavor I've experienced for the dish. However, it is definitely overshadowed by the rich flavor of the foie gras. This experience was unforgettable, with our view of Parisian streets on a brisk, April night. We even came back on our last night, but didn't realize the hours on Google maps was for the deli. The restaurant closes earlier, before 9:00 PM. This meal got us thinking about Paris in a positive light, and we hope to be able to come back to eat the amazing dishes again!

    This place was a huge letdown. They had a cute little artisanal market on the front left of the…read morerestaurant. They had a number of goods to choose from and I ended up buying a few things for souvenirs. As for the actual restaurant, they had a number of delicious sounding items on their menu. Our server was very attentive to us and helped us decide on our dinner orders. Similar to the other restaurants though. After our food was delivered, it was far in between when we were checked on again. And after dessert it took even longer for our server to bring the bill. Overall, the food was a letdown. I do not exaggerate when I say that the frog legs just tasted like slightly flavored water. My friend's ravioli had a fairly decent flavored sauce but the pasta was a bit chewy. My friend's duck breast was pretty tough; I had noticed the table next to us also ordered it and they seemed to have trouble finishing/cutting theirs as well. As for my steak with foie gras, well the steak was once again tough and the foie gras was weirdly stringy. It was soft for the most part but there were parts that were tough and stringy. Maybe that's a section that's generally separated in the preparation process and it was missed? In any case it was disappointing. What wasn't disappointing was dessert though; perfectly sweet and balanced.

    Photos
    Le Comptoir de la Gastronomie
    Le Comptoir de la Gastronomie - He said was very good

    He said was very good

    Le Comptoir de la Gastronomie - French onion soup + bread

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    French onion soup + bread

    Bistro des Augustins - Fermier

    Bistro des Augustins

    4.4(560 reviews)
    1.0 kmSaint-Michel/Odéon, 6ème
    €€

    I have mixed feelings about Bistro des Augustins. On the one hand, it provided me some of the most…read morecomforting and delicious food that I enjoyed in Paris. On the other hand, it made me realize that my mother was a terrible cook. Bistro des Augustins is a small, cozy venue offering both indoor seating and terrace seating near Pont Neuf. It serves a small number of curated dishes, including a wonderfully traditional Bistro Gratin in a homey ceramic dish served piping hot with a brown crispy cheesy top, herbs, spices and chicken. You can also get it with salmon. My brothers and I only saw my mother use our gas range to light her cigarettes, sanitize needles to remove our splinters, and make s'mores during the summer months when she couldn't muster the energy to take us 'outside camping.' I mean, all she had to do was borrow a cookbook, which I'm sure were readily available from maybe a neighbor or in any local bookstore or the public library. How hard is that? I was the only kid who brought a can of tuna and his own monogrammed can opener to school every day. Every day. And mom convinced me that the tuna holster she got me for my birthday was cool and hip. I was a naive mercury-filled fool, although I did become a very fast runner in junior high school because of the tuna holster. The interior décor of Bistro des Augustins is informal and vintage bistro style - wooden tables, traditional chalkboard menus, and soft lighting - creating a relaxed and comfy ambiance. My eyes have been opened to what's possible. Thank you Bistro des Augustins for expanding my culinary horizons. Five stars.

    THE FOOD ------------------…read more= Fermier - Cheese gratin with chicken was good. Didn't blow me away, but was solid with the creaminess of the sliced potatoes and emmental cheese combined together with mixed vegetables. The cheese was very strong though, so anything else was unfortunately pretty much overpowered by it. Arrived with bread, but it DEFINITELY could use other carb options to sop it all up (e.g., rice???)! = Landais - Cheese gratin with duck. Same comment as the above, except the Landais had egg and goat cheese also mixed in with almost the same ingredients as the Fermier. THE SERVICE ----------------------- + The lone waitress, who also worked the role as greeter, cashier and bartender was friendly. + Food arrived within 10 minutes of ordering. THE SURROUNDINGS ------------------------------------ = Small, tight restaurant. = Not many tables inside - 6 in total. + Located a few blocks away from the more touristy restaurants, towards the East, on a much quieter street. RANDOM OBSERVATIONS -------------------------------------- = Nada.

    Photos
    Bistro des Augustins - Inside

    Inside

    Bistro des Augustins - Assiette de saumon fumé

    Assiette de saumon fumé

    Bistro des Augustins - Inside

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    Inside

    Chez Janou - prawns in wine sauce

    Chez Janou

    4.1(702 reviews)
    2.7 kmBastille, Marais, 3ème
    €€

    My #1 fav classic French dinner we had in Paris. The food and the atmosphere were all great. This…read moreplace seems to be a certified, capital 'e' Establishment here in Paris. Vibey 30 somethings and those of us tourists that have begrudgingly figured it out. It is close quarters inside, but when in Rome. My bestie from middle school and I shared the escargot (bless you) pasta, which was delicious, and the duck, which was exceptional. We split a very fairly priced bottle of wine and ended the night with the scoop of mousse. If they could figure out how to do that intravenously, that'd be great. The mousse reminded me of a great guilty pleasure, which is eating straight out of the can of Duncan Hines chocolate frosting (ask me how I know, I do this often, going to rebrand it to me being European). Loved it here.

    I'd say 3.5 stars but Yelp won't let me! Chez Janou is a…read morevery popular spot - we arrived an hour before open on Sunday evening and were able to get an outside table no problem. The menu features French classics and there are vegetarian options. To be honest, maybe I'm not the best to right this review because French food isn't my favorite - regardless, my main complaint is just that the food lacked the extra flavor I was hoping for but it was still solid. The Ravioli Dauphine was perfectly cheesy, just needed some extra salt. The Chickpea Fries and Warm Goat Cheese were nice starters, and I liked the bread basket that was given freely - especially the inclusion of a walnut raisin bread. NOW, the star of the show and the reason you're probably here: the Chocolate Mousse. Yes it is worth the hype. Only complaint - we had some leftover and they refused to box it for us.

    Photos
    Chez Janou - Bar vibe

    Bar vibe

    Chez Janou - Bread with Chocolate Mousse

    Bread with Chocolate Mousse

    Chez Janou - Dinner area- inside

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    Dinner area- inside

    Chez Fernand - Roquefort

    Chez Fernand

    4.4(296 reviews)
    0.8 kmSaint-Michel/Odéon, Saint-Germain-Des-Prés, 6ème
    €€€

    Food is awesome, love their signature beef dish, too bad our stomach is too small, food is very…read moregood, service is good too ~ love this place!

    May 2026. Popular with tourists. Charming stone wall interiors that is very lively when fully…read moreoccupied. We sat in the back (not the very back), but the front area looks very cozy --mostly reserved for French speakers, it appeared. We ate here twice in one week. Once on our own, and once with friends visiting Paris the same week as us. Two VERY different experiences. The first experience was lovely, friendly, and absolutely delicious. 4.5 stars. Simple classic French cuisine. We shared the mini raviolis stuffed with mushroom and a foie gras sauce. Wow. And shared their famous beef bourguignon. The tender beef, the sauce! I love the way they plate it too. Delicious. And a bottle of Cabernet Franc from Bourgueil (Loire Valley). The second visit (3 star) was very different from the first visit. Less friendly, borderline rude, took a long while for table service even though it was not busy, rolled their eyes about us sharing and at our wine bottle selection. We didn't feel welcomed. Food remains good, but not outstanding. Roll of the dice on service. I'd say if you're in the area and you don't have to wait it'd be worthwhile, otherwise seek a less touristy spot.

    Photos
    Chez Fernand - Interior

    Interior

    Chez Fernand - Le légendaire bœuf Bourguignon aux joues de bœuf Black Angus, pommes vapeur.

    Le légendaire bœuf Bourguignon aux joues de bœuf Black Angus, pommes vapeur.

    Chez Fernand - Beef bourguignon

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    Beef bourguignon

    Le Voltaire - french - Updated June 2026

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