This is a weak three. Starting off, I had foie gras. It was pretty mild. It wasnt bad, but I prefer a little more punch to my foie gras flavor. The bread they offer is ok. I ordered the steak tartare and my parents both got steak frites. The steak tartare was fresh. It had a great flavor for a few bites, unless it started to fade away to tasteless. I blame it on the fact that they add no spices to the meat. Some garlic or thyme would have perked up the meal. The steak frites were overcooked. My parents asked for mediu but got medium well. Considering how thin the meat is, its pretty easy to turn it gray. The fries were nothing special. Even though the meal wasnt great, it was reasonably priced. The same meal would have been twice as much at a fancier place. The atmosphere is wonderful. Its a time warp back to the 1800s. The bathrooms here are also old school. Be warned that if you need to use the restroom, you will be pissing or shitting on a concrete slab of a floor. I wouldnt go out of my way to eat here, although stopping by the see the decor is not a bad idea. read more

Amazing. Servers are very kind and the wine is fantastic. Would love to return again the next time I am in Paris. read more

Polidor - INCROYABLE. Bon endroit pour manger à Paris - French Near Me - Paris, 75

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Everything was excellent, fresh, and classic. I recommend the veal dish and the beef bourguignon with the house wine. Wonderful service and excellent flavors. Clearly a place that has been in business and stayed in business for their expertise. Nota bene: not much of a bathroom/toilette here so go before you come! read more

We wanted to eat at the Polidor for a long time. Finally, we had a chance to have lunch at this place, but we are so disappointed of the food, as well as for the service. I ordered Beuf Bourgignon, but it was not the one I expected. There was only one piece of the meat, but the disappointed thing is that it was a small piece of about 2" x 2" x 1". In addition, there wasn't that much sauce. As to the service, it was more like the service you find in the US. After we finished eating the meal, the server came to our table and removed the plate and asked us if we wanted desert. We ordered coffee. After we finished our coffee, the server gave us the bill (l'addition) as if to tell us we needed to pay and get out. She did the same thing to another customer next to us. That customer was a Frenchman who spoke perfect English with his American girlfriend. Because the server thought they were Americans, she presented them with the bill before they even finished drinking their wine. The Frenchman was so annoyed and told the server so in French. The server said to the Frenchman that he spoke French very well, which the Frenchman responded that he was French and born in France. It seemed to me the server (she told the Frenchman that she was only doing her job per her boss' instruction) treated non-French people that way, which was to rush them out of the restaurant as quickly as possible. I have the impression that the owner may have been an American. In France, you don't bother the customer and rush them out of the restaurant like it is done in the US. For Americans or tourists, it may not bother then, but for us who have lived in Paris for four years, it is so annoying. We will never go back to the Polidor again. read more

Never have I been sadder to lose a former favorite. New ownership has produced a predatory practice. You are told to pick a plat from the menu as part of a prix fixe. There are supplements for 2 listed and says menu does not include the "boeuf of the day" Nowhere on the menu is listed the boeuf of the day. There were 2 beef dishes listed of the plat list.One was boeuf bourguignon and the other was a faux fillet. After finishing our meal, I found out that the faux fillet was the beef of the day and therefore our entire meal was billed as a La carte. The represented an error of close to 40 euros more. When I complained the manager implied anyone would know it was the beef of the day and was hostile and made no attempt to make amends. We shall never return after eating here for 45 years. The food itself was, as usual, good but not great. read more

What a disappointment! We go to Polidor each time we are in Paris which is twice a year. We will not go back and will stop recommending it to friends. Last night my husband ordered a sirloin with French fries and the meat was as tough as shoe leather! He asked for his fries extra crispy and was told they always serve them that way. When they arrived they were soft and a bit cold.My French husband has gone to this restaurant for over 40 years and this was the last time!! read more

My companion and I dined here on our last night in Paris, and it was a lovely experience for our final evening. At 2100 on a Thursday night, the place was packed, but my companion and I quickly found a table. The service was helpful, and we both had the three course prix fixe menus. I ordered the pork terrine, beef bourguignon, and lemon tart. My companion ordered the lentil soup, steak frites, and apple tart. The pork terrine, beef bourguignon, and steak frites were the highlights from our experience. I recommend this restaurant for anyone seeking a casual, yet authentic, French dining experience. read more

Stopped in after a long long day at the Louvre. My wife, son, and I were looking for an authentic French meal and Oh boy this is it. Everything was delicious. **********BRING EUROS*********************** NO CREDIT CARDS read more

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Waited an hour and never got served. Waitress gave us a Hard time because we didn't have reservations even though the website said they didn't take reservations. read more

One of my most favorite spots, the oldest bistro, with the best beef bourguignon, a Paris institution, at very reasonable prices. 100% authentic, totally unassuming, completely charming. No reservations, which is actually nice to not have to worry about, especially if you arrive early. Very near the Jardin du Luxembourg & Odeon, also a lovely walk not far from the Pantheon & Rue Moufftard, w Place Contrescarpe- where it's nice to have a coffee and people watch before or after, or Blvd St. Germain. GO. Ignore all complsints. They are baseless. This is an important historic Paris bistro. read more

We love the beef bourgignon here, and the atmosphere, too. It's not a pretentious place - long, shared tables - and when it's busy the servers can take a while to get to everyone - but it's definitely worth a visit read more

Food was so so for the cost. Ate Duck confit. I don't want to try that dish for a while now. Cold mash potatoes. read more

Basically, this is our favorite place in Paris. Having eaten here 4 times now, I cannot say enough. Zero pretense, honest, traditional French food. It's the real deal. They do all of their dishes very well. Pates, Bourgignon, Banquette de Veau, Escargot, Duck Con-fit, and on and on and on... However, Pave de Veau in Creme of Morel sauce maybe the best dish I've ever tried in my life. It was another level. Good, down to earth people go and work here. And it's always a thrill watching my dear Americans get freaked out over the bathroom hole and having to share a table with some locals ( OH THE HORROR). p.s. The popular corner bar one block up the street on the other side has an aperitif called Le Francais (with Quinquina) is by far the best way to start this experience. Also works well as a digestif to me "Polidor don't take no credit cards since 1845" p.p.s Woody Allen has confirmed my awesome taste by featuring this Bistro prominently in his recent movie read more

I have been eating here most my adult life. It's Paris as a restaurant. Elegant with a touch of distress . The food is always solid classic French fair with out any pretense and with very fair prices . Get the escargot , get the foie gras , get the duck the beef burgundy or steak frites it's all good. If your lucky someone famous can eat right next to you. Really! Had a really good bottle of wine for 18 euros. That never happens in the states. read more

Polidor - The bathroom! Be prepared!! - French Near Me - Paris, 75

I have never experienced such awful service. We had to wait 2 hours for our reserved table and another for our food. I was almost shouted at when I had a question about the side dish. I cannot recommend this restaurant to anyone. Do yourself a favour and don't go there. read more

A friend recommended that we eat at Restaurant Polidor. We decide to have our last dinner in Paris at Polidor. In addition to its decor and cuisine, the Polidor is best known for its illustrious clientele. It is said to have been a favourite of André Gide's, as well as hosting James Joyce, Ernest Hemingway, Antonin Artaud, Jack Kerouac, and Henry Miller. Woody Allen shot a scene her in his 2011 film "Midnight in Paris." The interior of the restaurant is basically unchanged for over 100 years, and the style of cooking remains that of the late 19th century. I saw the sign that the restaurant has never accepted credit cards since it opened in 1845. It's cash only, so I had to walk to a nearby ATM. Our waitress was very kind in translating the menu for us. After my daughter and husband used the toilet and described it as a hole in the floor, I decided not to use it. I later find a blog online where someone described the experience of using the toilet at Polidor Restaurant! We started with Mixed Greens Salads and Buffalo Mozarella. I ordered the special of the day - hachis parmentier (shepherd pie.) My husband ordered the Boeuf Bourguignon. Our daughter ordered the Steak frites. For dessert, we get some Ice Cream - Salted Caramel, Mango, Chocolate. And the Lemon tarte. All the food was delicious! The food was so good, we ate everything! Total for the 3 of us was €66. Upon leaving, we're given some Polidor Restaurant postcards. read more

This place is pretty good! The service is not bad for Paris -wink wink- and the food was certainly tastier than the French food I have tasted back in Austin, Texas. Polidor's escargot is sublime, cooked in olive oil and herbs, leaving you a small fork to dig out the delicious snails from their little shells. I also ordered the a duck described as "cooked in it's own fat" and it was tender, juicy, and perfect! I tried some other dishes my friends ordered and did not find them particularly tasty or memorable, so this place is definitely hit and miss. The decor is old fashioned but well kept, and the price was reasonable. Definitely a place worth checking out if you're in the area and you want some good escargot and duck. read more

Polidor has been operating in the Latin Quarter in 1845. They have kept the authentic decor and old-way policies of no credit cards and no WiFi. They also do not take reservations. None of the employees where smiling and they either looked bored or they where miserable. The waitress had zero personality or interaction with the guests. I get historic charm and traditional cuisine. This restaurant was frequented by Ernest Hemingway, Victor Hugo, Paul Verlaine, and Arthur Rimbaud. I felt at any moment a bus load of tourists was going to pull-up and unload 100 guests. There where, however, many older locals dining here. The entrées are not cheap yet they give you a paper napkin and placemat. I think the lentil soup was decent but I could not even finish my cod. The food looked and tasted like it was from a school cafeteria. The baguettes where good. This is one of those restaurants where you spend a lot of money and then have to eat somewhere else because you are still hungry. There are so many charming and historic restaurants in Paris. I hate writing a negative review but I would hate for anyone else to waste their time or money here. I can't recommend Polidor and I won't return. www.polidor.com read more

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Reading other reviewers' prior posts, I can imagine how this placed USED to be a great restaurant to frequent. Unfortunately, based on my experience last week I'm afraid that this place is now an official tourist trap. No, contrary to prior reports by others, there's not much opportunity to interact socially at the communal table with Parisian strangers any longer as everyone at the tables to our left, right, front, and rear spoke in English. But to the meal....I had boiled eggs w/ seasoned mayonnaise to start, then followed by boeuf bourguignon and then peach melba for dessert. I couldn't have been more underwhelmed as I have had better in the States. The dishes were simple and mass produced in the kitchen, but not prepared well. The boeuf bourguignon was rough and dry, which was unfortunate as the sauce was flavorful. The peach melba bland and ordinary. Now for the bread....oh the bread for the love of God was AWFUL! How can any real Paris establishment serve bread that tastes like weeks old bread you can buy from a US supermarket I have no idea... I had better meals from two cafes that my friends and I walked into while in Paris. If you're looking to spend the same amount of money at Polidor and have a unique and authentic French meal, there are plenty of other options.... Cheri Bibi in the 18th and Chapeau Melon in Belleville section are two that come to mind. Parisbymouth.com or Hungryforparis.com have great forums and posts of affordable and authentic french restaurants should you wish to look up other options. But please by all means pass this place up. There's no need to waste your time at this tourist trap. read more

Had a beef and tomato stew that was just okay. They weren't serving Beef Bourguignon that day which was a huge disappointment. Going to the bathroom was a scary experience, it's basically a dungeon with a hole in the ground for a toilet. I was expecting to see a skeleton in wrist and leg irons left over from the Revolution. read more

A truly french experience on the left bank right off the hustle and bustle of saint germain (complete with turkish toilets! doesn't get any more french than that am I right??). They have a few different menues to choose from for a reasonable 25-45 euros not including wine but you can take "à la carte" which I did. I had the most amazing boeuf bourguignon - only complaint would be the bread- they ran out of baguette (I think?) so it was a substitute pain - meh. no reservations but if you call ahead and tell them they size of your party they will suggest the best time to come accordingly. read more

Went with a group of 4. I had the Escargot and the Entrecotê. Both were very good. The rest of the group had a menu with mozzarella salad, beef bourgogne, and sorbet. All were also very good. The prices were about what to expect for dinner in Paris. What I recommend against is using the bathroom. Unless you like to take a trip to the equator (it was hot as hell) and do your business on a squatty potty (a hole in the ground) like in the middle east, than I would avoid it. Since 1845 they don't take credit cards and they haven't updated their bathroom since then either. read more

My husband and I are both writers by profession, so when we honeymooned in Paris, we knew we had to visit the Polidor. The restaurant boasts famous past customers such as James Joyce, Ernest Hemingway, and Jack Kerouac, to name a few. Unfortunately, we had a terrible time here and left before we even had a chance to try the food. There is an old stereotype that French people are rude and ungrateful. Nowhere did we experience this in France EXCEPT for the Polidor. The service was so chilly that we ended up abandoning our table. Maybe they were just having a bad day, but it was hard not to be offended. My advice to other starstruck writers out there: Stand outside and take pictures of the exterior, but AVOID going in. read more

Summary based on 2 dinners: --Food is ok, but not really representative of the best of French cooking --Ok for non-French speakers --friendly and ok for the attention spans of American children --old style ambiance --relatively inexpensive --relatively casual, but don't dress like a FOB American read more

LOL this place it's perfect to go with a group of friends ... LOL it's like a mom and pops vibe but has been in bus for more than one hundred years just for that it deserves ten stars ... The ladies servers are if they just came out of a movie set I mean this in a cool way as mostly they are sweet and very attentive... The food oh well it's just comparable to a meal in a truck stop but who goes her for great food? Now the real experience comes when you hit for the commode well calling it a commode would be an upgrade but that is a most just do it after you had a little vin and warm food... Anyway good for them thy are making it work ... Fun place with the right approach will leave you with fun memories ;) read more

Came back.. Service was very good tonight. We came in just before 7pm so they had everything. Got the chicken in MOREL SAUCE. They should bottle that sauce. Excellent meal. The place is always busy. No wonder - good food @ reasonable prices. read more

This fabulous little spot is rich in French food and history (Victor Hugo and Ernest Hemingway, to name a few) --with the original restaurant founded in 1848. The exterior is inviting, and the wizened French waitress that greets you upon arrival (do not expect her to chat with you in English!) will promptly seat you at a long table, bedecked with a red and white checkerboard table cloth, and amongst potential guests from another part of the world, or Paris more likely. This is not a tourist hotspot for the most part. Your best bet if your French is nonexistent or weak, is to point at the menu items you'd like, and order any of the wines. We ordered the Coq au Vin, the Boeuf Bourguignon, escargot, and naturally--wine. We ended up next to a charming couple from the Black Forest region of Germany, and got along with them exceptionally well. Granted, we were on cloud nine from our recent engagement, so we were agreeable to most anything. Our wine, bread, and escargot arrived immediately and was a clinical on why escargot is such a delicious staple. The snails were perfectly cooked and utterly/decadently delicious, and the buttery-garlicky-herby sauce was sublime when sopped up with fresh and crusty french bread (what else). Both our dinners were fantastic, with each of us insisting the other try our own dish--a good sign for both a marriage and a meal. Our travel plans this weekend include Paris, so with any luck we might find ourselves back at this storied, classic, and romantic little spot for another meal. read more

A nice place with a rustic feel, popular with locals. The specialty of the house is beef bourguignon. We enjoyed an entrée (appetizer) of Foie Gras de Canard Landais, a plat (main course) of blanquette de veau à l'Ancienne riz (veal with rice and gravy), and for dessert Caramel Liégeois (vanilla ice cream topped with homemade caramel sauce, pieces of caramel, and a sugary whipped cream called chantilly). This was a really good, authentic Parisian meal, that wasn't too expensive. read more

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A great gem in a city with so many choices. As noted, it's been in business for a long time and they know what they are doing. Great food at great prices in a communal style setting. The only downside is cash only, which considering it's the 21st century, is an odd thing to me. Even if the prices were raised 4% or so to offset any CC fees, it's still a cheap place to eat, and seeing as it was packed on a Sunday night, I don't think many people would mind paying that little extra. read more

While visiting Paris, my boyfriend and I were craving steak frites. So we found this place via Yelp and it had great reviews so we gave it a try. Polidor was established in the late 1880's and is a cozy restaurant located in the 6th Arrondissement. It was very busy when we arrived, but were quickly seated. The tables are set up so that several parties may share the same table. I was very disappointed in the steak. First we both ordered our steak a pointe (closest to a medium rare that we liked). Mine came well done, not even any pink in sight. The steak stringing, difficult to chew and not flavored in anyway with any seasonings. I thought maybe because it was so well done, just not good. However my boyfriend's steak came with the perfect amount of raw and sadly I was almost just as disappointed. Perhaps the cut of steak just wasn't a good cut, but again hard to chew and no seasoning. The fries on the other hand were really good, cooked perfectly, -crispy and golden on the outside and soft and fluffy on the inside. read more

So far, my favorite restaurant in Paris. My wife and I had Guinea Fowl and Chicken With Mashed Potatoes. Both dishes were pretty mind blowing. This is the definition f comfort food. Both dishes were juicy and seemingly slow-roasted. The chicken was covered in a sauce that reminded me of stroganoff. The Guinea Fowl was bathed in juices of various veggies and chunks of pork (which gave it a hint of sweetness). Polidor has been one of the highlights of our entire trip to Paris, and I can't wait to go back!! read more

Solid authentic French meal located off the beaten path in the "Latin" district (so named because of the # of students there studying humanities) of Paris. Ambiance: Been in business for a million years and the decor reflects that old Parisean charm. As noted by other reviewers the history is long and it was the stomping ground of Hemingway et al, and featured in a few movies along the way. Service: They get tons of business and the name of the game is efficiency, so don't expect lingering service FOOD: Foie gras: comes in a pate form, good flavor, comes with traditional toasted bread Supreme poulet: braised chicken in a delicious morel mushroom gravy sauce, served with mashed potatoes. Mashed potatoes were delicious. Gravy was rich and super flavorful. Would recommend! Beef bourguignon: traditional beef stew served with mashed potatoes. The red wine stew had an excellent flavor. Beef could have been more tender. Mashed potatoes were delicious. They were out of their signature dish the duck confit, though! TLDR: Solid authentic french food, popular with students and locals, steeped in history read more

Probably my favorite among all the restaurants I visited in Paris. The atmosphere is quintessential Paris and the food is traditional, delicious, and reasonably priced. The wine selection is fantastic. We ate at cafeteria-style tables and quikcly made friend with the group sitting next to us. We chatted, laughed, and drank and I imagined ourselves like the regulars of years ago (like Ernest Hemmingway) and set a romantic tone for the rest of our time in the most beautiful city in the world. If you are a lady and need to use the bathroom, however, I strongly suggest you get specific directions to it's location. It is not to be confused with the men's room. read more

It's off the beaten (med school) path, in a quiet street away from the rowdy college bars where students are spilling out onto the streets. This is the restaurant featured in (surprise!) Midnight in Paris and I wanted to take my boyfriend here. We arrived around 9pm to a packed house that looked similar to a brightly lit tavern and we got seated in the last two seats near the back next to a family visiting from Spain. After all the duck eating I've been doing all over Paris, I was craving some pork so I ordered their curry dish. Who has curry in France? This girl. It was delicious, earthy, and homey. The pork was juicy and went well with the potatoes and curry sauce. With a carafe of rose, it was perfect. My bf ordered the steak frites but he was still a little bit full from our great lunch earlier that day so he didn't enjoy it too much. Polidor is open late so it's a good place to remember whenever you're hungry at 11pm. Cash only. read more

Opened in 1845 and has not changed. Long tables with open sedating. Most fun when full. We have been coming for 25 years and the food is always good. It is French home cooking at its best. Wait staff is outstanding. Bathroom is a must see for a trip to earlier times. I promise unless you eat with a French family you will not find a better meal Bon Appetite. read more

Polidor - Opened in 1845 and has not changed - French Near Me - Paris, 75

Great simple French cuisine in a turn of the century (the 20th century) environment. The boeuf bourguignon is their mainstay. Service is usually pretty fast and seating at long tables harkens back to a simpler time. I love the modernist time machine in my Paris neighborhood (despite the dumb Woddy Allen movie) so love to go there and drift back to the last significantly creative period for Americans, who were mainly orbiting Paris from 1920 to 1930... read more

Horrible service... we had to ask to put in our order, ask for water, for bread, for our drinks and finally for our bill. In addition, the food was extremely mediocre. I would not recommend this restaurant to anyone. Waste of a dinner/evening in Paris. read more

Lovely old french restaurant serving french cuisine. A bit dated, as you might expect of an old restaurant, with old style toilets. Food was good but not spectacular, service was good. Atmosphere was good if a little spoiled by noise from other parties. read more

Classic neighborhood restaurant. Delicious food served by nice people. N.B.:The sign on the wall says (in French) "The Polidor hasn't accepted credit cards since 1845." It's CASH ONLY. We had the beef bourguignon and the stewed chicken. Both were fabulous. Even if you don't need to use the restroom, it's worth a trip to see the facilities! read more

Polidor - The Polidor dining room. - French Near Me - Paris, 75

Bienvenu, les enfants, a la maison de maman. If you don't speak French, that's okay; the hospitality at Polidor will make you feel right at home. This is a traditional French restaurant, which means you know the dishes to expect: confit de canard, rumsteak, boeuf bourgignon and all the rest of it. The laid back atmosphere is superb, and you get the sense that you've been transported back in time. Dark, warm colors surround you. There is wood from top to bottom. And the heavy-set madame that seems to be a cook or a waitress, or both, is always jolly, and she seems to have come right out of Ratatouille, or a Hemingway novel. I've had some of the best meals in my life in this restaurant, not simply because of the taste, but because of the surroundings. The French often forget that being comfortable in a restaurant doesn't necessarily mean silver and fine china: this is not your hoity-toity French restaurant where you're treated like royalty, but a down-home feel that transports you to a cozy restaurant in the French countryside. I've lived in Paris for five years, and this is the most authentic French cuisine I've ever had. read more