Traditional French restaurant recommendations in Paris?

Hello. I am in Paris now. I m told Le Vieux Bistro -Le de la Cite - across from Notre Dame 14 rue du Cloitre Notre Dam 75004 is good. Reservations 01-43-54-18-95

Enjoy

La Petite Chaise - oldest restaurant in Paris. You can see their menu online to see if that's what you'd like. This is in the St. Germain de Pres area (Rive Gauche).

Michelin (the Red guide, not the Green one) has been rating Paris restaurants for over a hundred years.
You can buy the hard copy in Paris, or get a partial look at their recommendations at their website.

There are thousands of restaurants in Paris, most of them good or better, many in the Marais. A justly famous one is Brasserie Bofinger. In the "menu" tab they show a 38-euro three-course "set menu" (not including wine) with several choices including a daily special. Another tab takes you to their "Petit Bofinger" across the street with a 31-euro set menu (including wine). I haven't eaten at either, and truly fine food and wine would be wasted on me, but both places have excellent reputations. There are many others.

Fans of Alan Furst's historical spy novels will recognize Bofinger as the "Brasserie Heininger" which figures in all of them. One of these trips I will go there if only for that connection.

Any café will sell you an "assiette de fromage," with an assortment of cheeses and limitless bread. Makes a good lunch with a glass of wine and a little tap water ("eau du robinet," no reason to buy the bottled kind).

Restaurants display their menus, usually on chalkboards, in front. If you find a crowded one with menu only in French, you've probably found a local favorite. Give it a try. The French eat dinner later than most Americans, so you might find more tables if you go earlier. It would help if you like children, who'll be eating then with their parents.

We loved "Le P'tit Troquet" ~ family owned, amazing service, traditional food and not overpriced. Very small and intimate, so reservations are recommended.
Address: 28 Rue de l'Exposition, 75007 Paris, France
Phone:+33 1 47 05 80 39

Afterthought -- We enjoyed several good dinners at L'Epoque, corner of rue Cardinal Lemoine and rue Rollin, just north of Place Contrescarpe, some years ago when we were staying nearby. Nothing spectacular but we enjoyed it very much. But it's on the left bank so maybe doesn't work for you. ;-)

Besides asking at your hotel, you could use Google Earth to look for restaurants in the hotel's neighborhood. You can set it to show them and link with websites if they have them. That should give you an idea of atmosphere and prices.

Have fun eating!

Thank you all for all your restaurant suggestions! I will be looking in to all of these restaurants, and they all sound great. :)

I'll recommend Bistro Paul Bert and Le Pantruche. Both very good, Paul Bert is large and has a deeper menu, Pantruche is cozier. As I recall, both require a phone call to reserve, which is easy.

Sammy1992, check out Les Temps des Cerises (the Time of the Cherries, after a French traditional song). It is in the Marais and is very small, and while we lucked out and were seated right away with no reservation on a weekday night in June, you may want to have one. Food is excellent and covers traditional bistro fare. Look at Yelp or other places online and you'll get a feel for the dishes and the scene. Bon appetit and happy travels.

are you sure about Le Temps de Cerises being in the Marais? I have eaten in a place that has that name in the Butte Aux Cailles (you can see a snapshot of its front as well as inside with examples of the extremely unfancy food they serve here:
https://janettravels.wordpress.com/2014/05/03/butte-aux-cailles-village-within-paris/ )

Perhaps there are two restaurants by that name. We liked it for lunch but It would not be near the top of my list for a one time experience. I'd go to Josephine Chez Dumonet, or Cottage Marcadet for their menu at lunch.

Along Bonfinger, this is another great Brasserie.

http://www.julienparis.com/en/ It's in the 10th but only a short 5 min. metro ride from the Marias.

The food in these two restaurants is wonderful...the settings make them sublime..

Le Train Blue . http://www.le-train-bleu.com/fr/

Le Train Bleu is a great restaurant in a splendid setting but the menu puts it well beyond your price range. You can eat very well elsewhere for a lot less.