Best Meal (steak!) in Paris

Phoebe, you can defnitely eat a great meal for under 80 bucks. All restaurants offers a prefixed menu and, while its not guaranteed to be a better deal, you can guarantee yourself an appetizer, the meal, and dessert for as little as 20-26 euros.

Last week I was there and we ate the touristy places, the off the beaten path places, and even the places in between... and have yet to find a bad restaurant in Paris (although I am sure there are some).

We try to pick a place where the menu isn't in 10 different languages, where we hear more French, and the place is full of people.

Be adventurous ... travel to a different district... outside the touristy part.
Remember that the steaks tend to be more rare, so if you like your meat more well, be specific.

OH...please if you have time...post the LIST...!! I was getting ready to write "don't bother to eat steak in Paris"...despite steak/frites being a national dish...the only really good fries i've had in France are at my mother in law's...and tender tastey steak is when i go back to USA, even though in my heart and sometime my pocketbook i support the French beef, especially Charolais..but that's when i cook it myself

Id do my steak eating in the USA!
Paris has other great things to eat we cant get here.
The few times we did have "steak" or roast beef in Paris it was OK at best by US standards.

Don't go for steak in France. American beef is MUCH better than French, which tends to be tough rather than tender. I'd go for a more traditional mid to high end Bistro meal instead.

http://travel.nytimes.com/2007/04/29/travel/29Choice.html,
http://www.chowhound.com/topics/268268

Thank you all! This is all very helpful!

Just to add -

Steak is different in France because the beef isn't aged like it is in the US. Thus, the typical overcooking that Americans prefer - medium to well-done makes the meat very tough.

One of the greatest revolutions in food I have had living here is the realization that it is better to stop eating like an American and try the French way. French beef therefore is best if cooked rare to medium rare. The tenderness and flavor then are compliments to the surrounding dishes. If you can't manage this method of cooking, then I would recommend skipping the beef altogether.

Hippopotamus (restaurant chain - and many in town)is a consistent provider of steak and hamburger that is generally reasonably priced. There has been a burger menu for the summer added recently, and there are several types of steaks to choose from. There are also the typical sauces, bearnaise, roquefort, poivre to add as well.

and more about red meat...Maybe you'd like to try le tartare..usually beef, but there are other variations on this classic at Les Tontons (the uncles) at 38 rue Raymond Losserand and at 73 rue Brancion. They offer many versions of the raw chopped steak, plus fish options. Do give it a try..it's "just" carpaccio served differently.
I'd also suggest "A La Biche au Bois"..(deer in the forest)...45, avenue Ledru Rollin, metro Gare de Lyon..open only mon thru friday..12 to 14 and 19 to 2230...Reviews the old days called it crowded smokey and noisey, but a lot of good food...Now you can cancel the smokey. Their specialty is "gibier"/game..deer, boar and rabbits..The menu is around 24euros for entree, main dish, cheese and dessert..Wine not included..just get a pichet of the house...Price has probably gone up since i last checked..but it's meat and French people eat there (obviously..no restaurant would survive if tourists were the only clients)

I would also suggest, as a reference, Patricia Wells' Food Lovers Guide to Paris. We used it for a trip to Paris and it was unfailing in recommendations.

http://www.patriciawells.com/books/food_lovers_guide_paris.htm