old paris cafe

Diane, more info would be helpful for those who may know, like what part of the city, and was it actually in one of the passages or adjacent and between?
Here's a good article that someone here just posted the other day, take a look at descriptions and google map them, it may jog your memory:
http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2012/mar/02/paris-hidden-passages-shopping-shops

I shan't attempt to guess. Perhaps it will ring a bell with someone. Or you will enjoy trying others.

If the black and white tiles on the floor are the little tiles, it could possibly be Le Select but I'm not sure where it's located in relation to the passages.

There is a place called Le Select (there's a couple in Paris with same name) right in between Passage du Caire and Passage Ponceau, in the 2nd arrondissement, near the intersection of Rue du Caire and rue St Denis. 204 Rue Saint-Denis.
The Le Select at 99 Bd du Montparnasse appears to have a black and white floor, small tile as Nancy mentioned, but I do not see passages nearby.

thanks for the suggestions. i did some more detective work and found it is restaurant bouillon chartier, near the covered passages jouffroy and des panoramas.