Paris--Dinner for 3 for around 100€?

Hi!

I don't have any location as a suggestion. But, I hope someone will give you some restaurant names and helpful advice.

However, you could always ask where you are staying if they have suggestions or recommendations. When we were in Paris we looked at the restaurants in our neighborhood and picked one to try. We aren't foodies either and just picked a place that looked interesting. It was good, not amazing but it was fun anyways and had a good atmosphere.

Good luck and Happy Travels!

I'm with you when it comes to eating expensive meals. We visited a friend in Paris, and they were flipping 50 Euro bills around every night for dinner. I really didn't like spending that much for a dish that essentially was a crock of lentil beans.

One of our favorite meals was running up on a good Vietnamese restaurant there--reasonably priced.

Nothing worse than going out to eat in a famous Parisian restaurant and be put off by the items on the menu and especially the price. We just don't eat like them.

One hundred euros between three people is pretty low-budget for Paris now, especially if you want to drink alcohol.

One suggestion would be Chartier, which is an old-established Paris restaurant offering traditional French cooking on a budget. I would avoid the steak, but other things I've eaten there were good. Nearest Metro station is Grands Boulevards. I would suggest arriving between 7 and 7:30 - they're popular and don't take bookings, and if you arrive later you might have to queue for a table.

Polidor on rue Monsieur Le Prince. Very old school. (A touch of nostalgia--even has one of the last remaining old-school commodes out back in the courtyard.) It started getting into guidebooks about ten years ago. It has long communal tables, wine by the carafe, etc. The scene where the guy meets Hemingway in Midnight in Paris was shot there.

Our favorite (in RS book) is Restaurant Polidor on Rue Monsieur-le-Prince very close to Cluny Museum. Dinner for two with house wine was € 50.

My initial reaction was that for a "memorable" dinner in Paris, this is likely low. I know that in NYC there is what I call the default $50--two courses and one glass of wine. You can eat more cheaply, of course, but while the food is acceptable it is not memorable. The memories are the conversations.....My memory of Paris dining is that it is similar. You really need to go to a neighborhood to find them. I hope others have suggestions for you.

Italian not French and in a different part of town, but I had a good meal at La Campagnola on Ave du Maine. Seemed like a lot of locals were eating there. Not fancy. Has more of that moderate, family-owned feel to it. So if you're hungry for pizza or pasta one night worth a Metro ride.

Check out Los Ancestres les Gaulois, on Ile de la Cite. A fixed price, includes wine or drinks, choice of two or three entrees, seating at a long picnic table so you will meet travelers from just about anywhere. We had a great time with couples from Finland and Australia, once again finding out we like all manner of folks from around the world. Your nephew will learn a lot. So will you....

One of my favorite restaurants is Le Petit Chatelet, which is on the Left Bank next door to Shakesphere & Company, not far from where you are staying. It has a great view of Notre Dame from the outside tables. I think it would be within your budget especially if you have just two courses, such as main course and dessert. As you stroll around Paris, you can check out the posted menus and you are sure to find a nice place within your budget. Many places have prix fix menus for around 30 euros.

I agree that memories are in the company and conversations not the amount of cutlery and glassware on the table (although quality of food IS important). We had dinner with our 6 family members last week in Paris in the 19e for 124 euros. We had 3 cocktails, escargot to share, 3 mains and 3 large dinner salads (all involving duck or seafood), 1 bottle of wine and 3 desserts.

Still talking about how delicious that meal was and how much fun we had trying different things!

Two nights later we invited 2 friends from Paris to try a recommended tangine restaurant near Parc Butte Chamont. Similar price pp for 8 main courses, 2 bottles of wine and 4 desserts. At this restaurant 2 of the meals were kids meals at a lesser price.

There can be good food and prices to be found if you look around, especially at the prix fix dinner menus.

If soufflés appeal to you, try La Cuisine de Philippe (Here is a link to Trip Advisor reviews: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g187147-d3243644-Reviews-La_Cuisine_de_Philippe-Paris_Ile_de_France.html)

We ate there a couple of weeks ago, and it was lovely. There were two prix fixe choices - three courses or two. We chose the main + dessert option, which was about 32 Euros. It was a small place, only about 8 tables, and the chef did indeed come out and talk with every table during our time there, as was mentioned in reviews. I think the pistachio soufflé with melted chocolate bits was possibly the best dessert I ate on our trip. My husband chose the Grand Marnier one, and he was surprised that he was given the bottle of Grand Marnier to add to his heart's delight!

This restaurant is located right near the north end of the Luxembourg Gardens, and we, too, stayed in the Cluny/Sorbonne area. It was a short and pleasant walk to the restaurant from our hotel.

Laurie

I will probably get flamed, but I have traveled to Paris many times with my daughter who is now 23. Maybe not for your big night out, but we actually enjoyed eating at the touristy places in the Latin quarter. There are tons of restaurants there and they all have very reasonable fixed price meals from 15 euros up. We loved the people watching, and most of the menus had roast chicken and or goat cheese salads which really appealed to her. It is not upscale French food, but we always had fun because it is a very lively atmosphere, and we never have had a bad meal. I just think your nephew will like the scene there.

We don't do flaming on this website. You must be thinking of another place.

Your contribution is as valuable as everybody else's.

More than some.

Le Pre Verre is located right by the Cluny and the food is very good. There is a set menu for 45 Euros that includes three courses--wine not included. Reservations would be necessary--it is always busy. The menu is creative--especially desserts. We enjoy the lively atmosphere--would think it would appeal to your very fortunate nephew!

What does your nephew like to eat? Most 21 year olds aren't really keen into French cooking and are happy with simple plates you put in front of them.

I really like the Vietnamese suggestion. Paris has fabulous Vietnamese food and it will be something he's familiar with-pho is a staple among the college age for its ability to satiate, go easy on the wallet, and magically heal hangovers.

La Cave Gourmande was fabulous for us and I think you can make it work with your budget. We had two salads, each large enough that we should have shared, and two mains which were also extremely large. With a bottle of decent red it was Euro 92.00 and we did not finish our mains. The Boeuf Bourgignone portion as enormous with a raft of mashed potatoes that could have fed a family of four. Do some creative sharing and cut your bill downb to size.

Our family with a 21 YO and. 16 YO ate at Le Bistrot d'Henri on Rue Princesse a couple of nights ago in that price range, and it was very good. It's a tiny resturaunt in a wonderful street with very good service. They encourage reservations but we showed up at 7 without and were seated right away. Right around the corner is a terrific sorbet place. I highly recommend both. http://lebistrotdhenri.mobimenu.fr

You can try “Bib Gourmand” , restaurants that Michelin selects as good value for the money.

http://restaurant.michelin.fr/restaurants/france/75000-paris/bib-gourmand/page-1/

The website is only in French, so hopefully you can nevertheless translate. The filter on the leftside shows:
Moins de 19€ = less than €19
De 20€ à 39€ = From 20€ to €39

Wow. Thank you everyone for the excellent suggestions! I am truly, truly grateful. They all sound fantastic. The communal dining set up particularly...My nephew is interested in food and cooking, is a very adventurous eater and, if you don't mind my saying...a sweet, likable, and outgoing young man. I am certain he would enjoy this type of experience. Sharing and growing and learning is what travel is all about in my book, and what I hope to share with my nephew. And I am no shy violet either. A very memorable night in Paris was spent in just such a place as you mention, judge....our typical hang outs on past trips. We spent hours happily chatting with the extended Italian family at the table next to ours while the omnipresent (at least for me) quarter chicken and salad languished on my plate. In Bacharach at the Cafe Rusticana, owing much to the gracious and warm owner, our little schnitzel stop turned into an international hug-fest when the 6 Germans overhearing us talking to the 4 Tennesseans next to us pulled up and we all spent the evening together. We will be spending time roaming the charcuterie haunts as well ( his other request after Versailles) thanks again to the many helpful replies to a previous post. We have taken him on several trips since he was 8 years old. He remembers every minute of that first cruise, and every place we have ever taken him, including every stop at every Civil War battlefield from Columbus to New Orleans. The decision to make the trip to France was cemented last summer, when we watched him soak up stuff like a sponge, from NASCAR to the ocean to Appomattox and Monticello. I am certain that whatever this trip may cost it will be repaid one hundred fold. I am printing this list. I had a small windfall last week, and in a sprit of avuncular mush I now suspect we will hit them all. I am SO excited to make this trip. I'll stop now because I am starting to mist up. Thank you all again. You're great folks.

Denny,

Thank you for this post! It's Great! We are going to Paris in a few days and may be trying some of these. I'll let you know what we think!

I hope you have a great time with your nephew and make some priceless memories!

Kelly

Here's a recommendation for Le Trumilou from David Lebovitz.

I just want to thank the OP for starting this thread.....I'm taking notes. My Mom is not one to spend a lot on food but hubby and I still want good meals. These suggestions are awesome.