Authentic Parisian Dinner Recommendations

Are you looking for something high- end ar more neighborhood bistro?

You might want to check out David Lebovitz's blog - www.davidlebovitz.com. An American pastry chef living in Paris, I've found David's recommendations and reviews to be spot on - I've eaten at about a quarter of the restaurants he's reviewed. It's not an exhaustive list but I'm sure you will find the perfect restaurant for your mother-in-laws birthday.

For some classic French dishes like beouf bourguinon and grand marnier soufflet and millefeulle (or hangar steak or duck etc etc) we love Chez Dumonet Josephine. for an elegant formal multi course tasting meal, we love L'Initial not far from Notre Dame; we have had two just lovely meals there -- beautiful presentation as well as flavors -- for 48 Euro plus wine. for a view through the glass roof to the Eiffel Tower there is Les Ombres. YOu can see what your menu options are on their website.

It depends on what type thing would please her. For a birthday I'd do L'Initial (and there will be a candle on one of the desserts if they know the occasion). If the view is the thing, Les Ombres and for just a lovely French comfort food meal, Chez Dumonet. Their beouf bourguignon is really outstanding.

I highly recommend, L'Ami Jean. Make reservations now if you want to go next month.

Thank you, everyone, for the recommendations so far! Can’t wait to check them all out! This would probably be the big meal of the trip, so high end recommendations are welcome.

I just got home from a month in Paris and really enjoyed several restaurants there.
We had dinner at The George on the roof of the Pompidou...very modern atmosphere but it's basically in a glass box with views over the entire city...very dramatic and the food was excellent!
Another place I really like is Le Train Bleu - it's in Gare de Lyon and has been in operation for 100 years...it's absolutely gorgeous - very Belle Epoque. Food is excellent and the atmosphere is very old Parisian.
One other place that is a little touristy is the restaurant in the Musee d'Orsay...it's just called Le Restaurant and is the former restaurant that was part of the hotel when it used to be a train station. Again, very beautiful and dramatic with good food. A lot of tourists eat here when they are visiting the museum but it's still a lovely place for a meal and very Parisian!
You can always go to the classics like the Polidor or Les Deux Magots but they are quite crowded with tourists because of their literary connections.
If you want somewhere very small in a real Parisian neighborhood then a restaurant that was recommended to us by friends in Paris who live just above it is L' Alchemiste. You must make a reservation but the food is excellent and the menu varies with what the chef gets at the Aligre street market just down around the corner. It's out in the 12th just a few blocks from the Bercy (EDIT EDIT!!! oops...i MEANT TO SAY GARE DE LYON) train station...we spent the summer in their apartment and unfortunately didn't get a chance to eat there but it was the one place they recommended to us that we didn't get to.

Bofinger would be very nice for a birthday celebration--hard to go wrong with it.

Café Constant. Exceptional.

When you "an authentic experience, not too touristy" what does that mean with respect to the food? Are you looking for traditional well-prepared, what some would call, old-fashioned French food like for example traditional boeuf bourginon? Or are you looking for modern French cuisine? Also, of course, what is your budget? For traditional food, perhaps Josephine Chez Dumonet in 6th on Rue du Cherche Midi might do the trick. Same for La Table Hugo Desnoyer - Secrétan int he 19th -- I like his place in the 16th better but I think they only do lunch and they have communal tables, if that matters to you. For less traditional food, I am partial to Restaurant H near Bastille metro on Rue Jean Beausire or L'Arcane in the 18th, which is a no-menu place. For something that I think of as in between modern and traditional, I highly recommend Le Comptoir in the Hotel Relais Saint Germain in the 6th -- reserve well in advance. These places are not budget options but I thought they would be appropriate for a mother-in-law's birthday celebration.

My favorite local place is called Breizh cafe in the Marais (Breizh is the local language name for Brittany). Two years ago, you could drop in and get a seat easily, my trip it was full every time I went by (but they have limited seating in a little place next door that serves the same food).

One recommendation I got that was really good and might fit what you want is off of Canal St. Martin. It's called Philou. The price was higher than I normally spend (I typically spend 20-25 euro for dinner, my meal there totaled 50) but the food and wine were excellent. It's a small owner operated place, not a fancy touristy experience - just great food in a low key atmosphere.

We were taken here by some Parisian friends for dinner. Go early or plan to wait in line for an hour or more.

Bouillon Chartier – Brasserie historique à Paris

7 Rue du Faubourg Montmartrei | Metro Grands Boulevards, 75009 Paris, France

https://www.bouillon-chartier.com/en/menu

John! Had not seen a post from you for ages. Glad to see you back.

Le train bleu is not cheap but it is a GORGEOUS restaurant and my meal there was absolutely fantastic.

As mentioned above, Brasserie Bofinger is also a delight.
One of my favorite restaurants is near Montparnasse in the Alesia neighborood called Au Moulin Vert.