I have been doing my research on restaurants as good food is my passion, but there are too many choices and I don't have a million dollars to spend. I am looking for amazing traditional French food in the $20- $50 range per person. I don't need fine dining or super foo-foo, although I love friendly service. I love nice ambiance and cozy dark restaurants. I am a Carnivore! I love great Steak, lamb, duck confit, foie gras! I love snails, langostinos, great sauces like au pouvre and everything truffle. (I am aware of the truffle restaurant) I love sweets too, looking for the best creme brulee as it is my favorite and the best souffle. We are staying near the Louvre but will be all over Paris so not limited to that area. Does anyone have anything to say for the following restaurants or something I am missing?
-Sacree Fleur (Montmartre)
-Robert et Louise (Marais)
-Restaurant de La Cordonnerie (near Louvre)
-Le Souffle (near Louvre)
-Chez Germaine (Montparnasse)
-Le Potaget DU Pere Thierry (Montmartre)
Posted by
Boston
116 posts
Hi,
I have two thoughts: 1) if you're willing to go to Monmartre, try La Vache & La Cuisiner at 16 Rue de Trois Freres, just 2-3 minutes walk from the Le Abesses metro stop. I was there on February 18, 2023 for about the 10th time in the last 7 years and I loved it. I've never had a bad meal there. The magret, stuffed rabbit and quail are all excellent, as are the daily soups de jour. It is a small mom and pop place that serves traditional French food and it seats about 35 people. This time I just walked in, asked what the specials of the day were, and said that's it: I don't need a menu. Give the soup de jour and the duck breast. They don't have a website but from what I understand they have great reviews from TripAdvisor; 2) if by Chez Germaine, you mean the one located at 32 Rue Pierre Leroux in the 6th, I think it is worth a shot. I rented an AirBnB last week from a couple that live at 28 Rue Pierre Leroux and I walked by Chez Germaine everyday. I stopped several times to look at the menu and all of the meals (except I think, a massive steak for two) were within your price range and they all looked great. The owner of the AirBnB recommended it highly: I intended to go there on my last night in Paris, 2/22/23, but unfortunately I had another opportunity come up and skipped it. It is on my list of places to go when I go back.
Adding an edit here: Le Potaget du Pere Thierry is literally right night next door to La Vache & La Cuisiner at 14 Rue de Trois Freres and it is owned by the same person. I'm told, but haven't confirmed, that they have the exact same menu
Posted by
Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, USA
13943 posts
Full disclosure...I'm vegan, lol. I met with some forum friends at Robert et Louise last April for dinner and at least the downstairs ticks your boxes for nice ambiance, cozy and dark (but not in a depressing way). I thought it was awesome and even though I had to go with an omelet it was very good. I knew ahead of time there was really nothing vegan but would rather spend time with friends than obsess about my food.
The only down side was the young woman doing Instagram photos of her purse and hanging it up in various places. Eyeroll....
Service was good as you would expect in a restaurant serving traditional food.
Posted by
Chicago
8057 posts
Pam LOL -- the instagrammers are everywhere. I took snapshots of them at work in the Pompedeau, the Orsay, on a random street corner near Opera and of course Pont Alexandre. Love the image of the purse being showcased around the restaurant.
I think you don't get great traditional French food unless you are happy with reheated microwaved food at the Bouillons or restaurants with menus in the 20/30 range. You might find a treasure nearer 50.
I have eaten at La Cordonnerie although not recently and had a couple of very good meals there. It was a tiny cosy place with a cook and his wife running the show. The foie gras with cocoa sauce was simply amazing (alas not on the menu the next time we were there) and there was a dessert that was fabulous but hard to describe -- sort of frozen air and pears.
Le Souffle is IMHO worth a pass. We had main course souffles and dessert soufles -- the main course souffles didn't have the ingredients baked in -- but just sort of poured on i.e. the bourguignon was just poured in. They were sort of scrambled eggy. For dessert souffles we had the best ones on earth I think at Chez Dumonet where you can also get really great beouf bourguignon which was 18 euro for a generous half order last time we ate there. (everything has gone up of course). We also had very good food and excellent dessert souffles at Auberge Bressane.
Posted by
Panguitch, Utah
2545 posts
Interesting choices, I have been to most of those, except the two at Montmartre. I hesitate recommending a restaurant as what you seem to be looking for is a 70´s era steakhouse. There is no need for a great chef if you just want steak, there are plenty of places. If you love fabulous steak, these are among the best in Paris:
These locations should be 40€ to 50€ without wine, dinner at $20 for other than microwaved food, is not realistic in Paris. If you order your steaks cooked much more than rare, maybe medium rare, ignore these suggestions and go to la Cordonnerie, Robert et Loiuse, or le Louchebem.
Rather than Chez Germaine, consider l´Assiette in the 14th. Near the Louvre, you might try l´Ardoise.
These suggestions require reservations, probably one week in advance. Expect service to be efficient and unseen - never folksy or chatty. Please, do not over tip (0% to 5% maximum).
Posted by
L'Occitanie, France
10192 posts
À la biche au bois near the Gare de Lyon on Ave Ledru Rollin specializes in meat dishes, some game, many different sauces.