We will celebrate my 66th birthday in Paris 9/19. My friends recommend 58Tour Eiffel. The TripAdvisor has mixed reviews about the food and a definite take that it is over the top touristy. Has anyone been there and can comment on bot facets? Also looks difficult to get reservations.
Thanks!
If you wish to dine at the Eiffel Tower your choices are not limited to the 58, as Jules Verne renovations are supposed to be completed by this coming Spring. I see menus from €86 to a bit over €100 for the 58, exclusive of drinks, or course.
I have never eaten in the restaurant, but the photos on the web page look good. If you decide to upgrade for next year at Jules Verne I would expect you would need to multiply that number by at least a factor of three. We have eaten at the JV several times, mostly for lunch, and always come away happy, not regretting a centime.
It appears that the price fixed menu is around 90 Euro. No more than this.
We love this place in the 7th https://pottoka.fr. It’s small, reservations essential. You can download the menu in English from the website but it changes very often based on what is in the market.
One of our favorites is A La Biche Au Bois although it may not be as high-end as you are looking for. Here is a review by David Lebovitz https://www.davidlebovitz.com/a-la-biche-au-bois/
If you're considering it then be sure they're open and not on vacation
You have so many Paris restaurants from which to choose for your special occasion, so make it one without mixed reviews.
For over a century Michelin (the Red Guide) has been reviewing and rating Paris restaurants; you can access them online.
Alan and Big G have both dined very well. A la biche is the place for meat meat meat. Pottaka is much more adventurous, and the only drawback is that it is located on an obscure sidestreet (check Google Maps). Reservations are essential at both.
For a more showcase, or show-off, experience, Le Train Bleu in Gare de Lyon station is a huge, lavishly decorated fixture with streamlined service and a conventional menu. Fixe-prix about 70 euros. Walk-ins can often be accommodated but a reservation never hurts.
I use Le Fork for reservations, helpfully in English. However it does not cover A la biche; a reservation there will require phoning in advance, perhaps with your hotel's help
You may be asked to supply a phone number for a reservation; I give my hotel's number even when I have not yet checked in.
https://www.yelp.com/biz/a-la-biche-au-bois-paris I can't fine a website. Note it is closed Sunday and no lunch on Monday.
We have eaten at 58, both lunch and dinner. Try to get a seat near the window for the best views. The food is not exceptional and it's "touristy" because it's in the Eiffel Tower. I don't know how else "touristy" would apply, though. Once inside, it's a restaurant, undoubtedly filled with more tourists than Parisians, but that wasn't really an element in our dining experience. If not for that exceptional setting, the price for a comparable meal would be much less.
In Paris, the sky's the limit for restaurant ratings and prices, so you will certainly hear of restaurants with better reputations and higher prices. I don't know your background, tastes or budget but I think eating at 58 could deliver a memorable birthday dinner for a lot of people.
You might consider Le Ciel de Paris, in the Montparnesse Tower. It has an excellent view of the Eiffel Tower. It's pretty nice to see it light up on the hour at night. We thought the food was very good and well presented and the staff was friendly and attentive. As I recall, it was more expensive than 58 Tour Eiffel.
We'll go back to Le CIel again and I think you would enjoy it for your birthday.
Our favorite for celebratory meals in Paris is L'Initial and their 48 Euro tasting menu. The room is however plain with no view. We did an anniversary lunch at La Tour d'Argent and it was really worth every penny with a fabulous view of the scenic back of Notre Dame:
https://janettravels.wordpress.com/2016/03/01/anniversary-lunch-at-la-tour-dargent/
Les Ombres has a magnificent view of the Eiffel Tower through its transparent ceiling and pretty good food and we once did a birthday there.
