Necessity of Reservations in Paris

I spent a week in Paris in June of this year and ate out all of my meals in different types of restaurants and never once made a reservation. You might want to check in the RS Paris Guide Book for some information on dining.

It works either way but even wonderful small neighborhood spots do tend to book up especially on weekend evenings. It is not unusual to come to a small restaurant that looks half empty but is 'complete' for the evening as they hold tables for those booked and they often spend the entire evening. We have more than once sat down at 8 in a not very full place to have it full to the brim by 8:30 or 9.

You can always find someplace to eat and sometimes someplace good to eat, but the real treasures do tend to book up. Our worst meal (besides the airport Hilton) in Paris came when the small place we enjoy in Montmartre was booked up and so we wandered up the street to a place that was available - and for good reason -- terrible.

If you discover a promising place walking around or hear of one, often just booking at noon that day or the day before suffices. We are now in the habit of doing that because we don't eat out that often and want to make sure we can get a table. Larger Brasseries and the like are often easy to eat in without booking especially during the week. Well know places often need a reservation a week or more in advance.

also keep in mind that the time you're willing to eat can make quite a difference. Either early or late you usually have a good shot, but you have to be willing to eat at those hours. Even at a place that is booked at 8, if you come in at 7 and agree/promise to be done by 8 it should work. Unless they only have seatings.

I plan on eating my main meal midday, so should I be able to get into good restaurants at that time?

At midday, very good restaurants often have menus that are about two thirds the cost of a very similar menu in the evening. Good restaurants do book up but it is usually easier to book lunch than dinner. We wanted to eat at Les Ombres for my birthday for dinner one year and we could not get dinner reservations for the whole ten days we were in Paris, but were able to book lunch a few days out. I am planning to take my husband to la Tour d'Argent for lunch for our anniversary and will book as soon as on line booking opens which is two months out.

For places like Cottage Marcadet, Chez Dumonet Josephine, Agrume or la Cordonnerie we book lunch a day or two out.

But you will never have trouble finding a place to eat for lunch.

I'm one to always advise reservations -- and arming yourself with information, especially as to what interests you for Sunday and Monday, as many restaurants are closed on one or both of those days, so options are scanter (is that a word).

Parisby Mouth website even has a dedicated feature of restaurants that are OPEN on Sunday/Monday in order to help you avoid this problem.

What we like to do is either plan some places in advance (lots of recs for good restaurants on the web, including http://www.davidlebovitz.com/paris/) or wander around and find some interesting place, then ask the front desk at the hotel to make reservations for us.

This has all been very helpful, and thank you for the tip about Sunday and Monday closings. You all are great!

We asked the guy at the desk of the hotel if he'd call to make a reservation for us. The place we wanted was full so we asked his recommendation. He arranged us to go to a closer place with a warning "very French". It was fabulous. So if necessary, ask the hotel staff.

I must agree with Andrea. Unless I'm booking for a destination, Michelin-starred restaurant, I always check with the hotel staff for a local, non-touristic place where they would enjoy a great meal with a good friend. I've enjoyed some quite memorable meals surrounded by locals and nary an American!