Figuring out Paris restaurants

If it's a cafe with outdoor seating as well as indoor, you are probably safe sitting anywhere. In a restaurant without a reservation where you just want to order dessert, perhaps you should tell the front desk person that you would like dessert only. Don't be surprised if they don't let you have a table if it's busy. If you like tea and pastries, you might like to try the Mariage Freres tea house.

If you go to any type of place to eat (cafe, bistro, restaurant) and the table is set with a tablecloth/placemat, napkins, silverware, etc) don't sit there if you're just ordering desert or a drink. Most restaurants will have someone to greet you when you come in and you don't seat yourself.

What both previous posters just said, plus, frankly, most restaurants will not seat you just for dessert. To clear a few other things up,, restaurants often don't open till 7 or 730 for dinner, but brasseries usually serve all day. Cafes serve all day often not hot meals, more likely salads, sandwiches, etc. Don't get too stressed, if not sure ask. Sometimes you may get someone who gives you the "eye roll" but remember, if they were in your hometown they would likely commit some social gafes you consider stupid too. Don't take it personally. We had relatives visit from France, they looked stupid plenty of times,, and although here we don't do the eye roll, they did get the blank stare a few times. lol

You probably already know this, but be sure to always say Bonjour/Bonsoir Monsieur/Madame before you start talking, you'll be treated better.

If you're just having a drink and you sit at one of the tables without silverware etc, be aware that they will often want you to pay for your drink when they bring it to you, as opposed to needing to ask for the check when eating.

Thanks to everyone. Here is my follow-up question. The types of restaurants (that Pat listed) makes sense. Do most of the restaurants have the type of restaurant in the name or do you figure it out by looking at it. Obviously the dinner restaurants will be easy enough to figure out by their opening hours. But do you tell basically by looking at the menu (sandwiches = cafe, hot food=brasserie)? Obviously in America restaurants don't always put the type in the name, so I'm guessing they don't in France either....just curious.

well many cafes do in fact call themselves cafes,, so thats easy,, plus as noted, they often have small tables, often with many unset( for those who just want a drink or small snack) A few brasseries I have been to did in fact have the word brasserie somewhere, not always on the sign, but look at the menu. Remember, menus by law must be displayed OUTSIDE so you can figure out what they serve, and how much it will cost you .

thought this might help decrease your stress regarding Paris restaurants, cafes, etc. On my first trip to France I was wide eyed, excited, and clueless. We spent some time in Paris and had dinner at a restaurant (cant remember the name.) The waiter was very "stereotypical" when I couldnt order in French, and spent quite a lot of time teaching me how to order in french. For desert my sister and I ordered creme brulee. We each only finished half. We then spent a few days in the countryside. On our first night back in Paris we arrived around 11pm at the same restaurant. The same waiter informed us that they were no longer serving food. The crest fallen look on our faces must have spoken volumes because he told us to "sit, I see what I can do". He then served us a delicous potato/ham dish with salad and wine. (we didnt order, he just brought it to our table). He then asked us if we wanted anything with our coffee. We both ordered creme brulee. The waiter hesitated, then said "non, un creme brulle, deux spoons". Some may have been upset that they were not allowed to order 2, but we were touched that he remembered us from a week ago and was kind enough to feed the clueless Americans. Have fun and dont stress to much.

lisa ,, thats a nice story! Also when you said waiter was trying to teach you french ,, that may have offended some tourists,, thinking they are being lectured or talked down to, , but some french do think they are being helpful. Had a hotel clerk who would constantly correct my bad french,, actually get me to repeat words with correct pronouciation, etc it kinda embarrassed me, but I tried to take it in good grace, then, one day I wanted to go somewhere, he spent ten minutes showing where to go, printing out a map on his computer, circling the metro stops in pen , etc.. so I bet your nice attitude is what he rememebered, you didn't get hufffy the first time .. its surprising we sometimes forget you get more flys with honey then vinegar.

I think it's quite tacky to go to a full-service restaurant just for dessert - I'd go to a patisserie or patisserie-chocolaterie and get a really good cake or dessert at around 4 pm as the French do it. Less chance of aggro and the products will probably be better.

I concur on recommending Jacques Genin and Pierre Herme. I think Herme macarons are better than Laduree, although Laduree are still good. But don't go to the Laduree in Champs-Elysee, it's a smelly overcrowded hole. Go to the original rue Royale branch or the concession in Printemps department store.

I agree, if you want just dessert, you should go to a patisserie. Either take out, sit outside and enjoy or sit in the tea salon. I love Mariage Frere! It is THE place to go for tea lovers. Their pastries are OK, but the tea is the thing there. They have English menu. The waiter was friendly. The tea menu was the size of a book. Try Angelina, 226 rue de Rivoli, after your visit to the Louvre. It is reputed to have the best hot chocolate in town. If you are in the Opera house area, try Cafe Pouchkine in the Printemps department store. In the Marais, go to Jacques Genin, 133 rue de Turenne. Popeline, 53 rue Debelleyme has all sorts of cream puffs. In the Latin Quarter: Gerard Mulot, 76 rue de Seine, voted best strawberry tart, 2011. Pierre Herme, 72 rue Bonaparte, reputed to have the best macarons in town. You can then sit in the Luxembourg Garden and enjoy. In the 7th: Dalloyau, 63 rue de Grenelle. There are other locations. Hugo & Victor, 40 Boulevard Raspail Jean-Paul Hevin, 23 bis ave de la Motte-Picquet. There are other locations. La Patisserie des Reves, 93 rue de Bac. In the Les Halles, Stohrer, 51 rue Montorgueil, where rum baba was invented. Laduree is well-known, however, some food critics feel their standards have gone down a bit.
This should cover you on desserts. Have fun.

Great list, Chun! I've added the ones I haven't been to to my Paris bucket list. My favorite is Jean Paul Hevin, but I've never been to the one on la Motte Piquet, I've been to the one on rue Saint-Honore. And ditto what Pat and Lisa said about some people "helping" you with your French...it doesn't happen often (I suppose depending on where you go and who you meet), but everyone who helped me always did it kindly and I felt in some ways, they were returning the favor, so to speak. I had made an effort to use French instead of asking if they spoke English, or worse, assuming they spoke English, and I'm sure they interpreted that to mean that I was willing to learn. Like Pat said, it can be a bit embarrassing, but remember that for the most part, it is kindly meant. Even if you do mess up, they're not necessarily going to be rude. I ordered a grec and a bottle of water in the Latin Quarter once, and about half-way through my sandwich, I stopped mid-bite and realized that, though I had received a bottle of water like I wanted, I had actually ordered a box of water. Oops! He didn't roll his eyes or stare blankly or anything, he just gave me my order happily. You'll probably make a faux pas, and it's going to be okay. Plus, odds are you'll never see that waiter again anyway, so it's going to be fine. (Still, it's admirable to attempt to figure it all out now. That's certainly more culturally sensitive, so good job. And good luck!)

Another helpful item - all of these places, cafes, bistros, brasseries, restaurants, are required to post their menus (I wish more places in the US did this). Outdoor cafes generally have a sign somewhere with the menu on it. A quick look will tell you whether the place serves the kind of food you're looking for. The same place might, however, serve different things depending on the time of day; drinks during the day, meals in the evening. The easiest way to tell, honestly - see what others are eating or drinking. If it's outdoor seating and you see only people having drinks, they're probably not serving food right then. A cafe might have bare tables during the day and early evening for drinks, then set the tables for dinner (tableclothes, place settings) in the evening. After that point, you'd need to order dinner to seat yourself there. And I've even seen places with some of their tables set for dinner, and some set for drinks only. But as others have said, it's not something to worry about. Enjoy!