Le Jules Verne - Paris? Or any good restaurant

Personally I think the lunch at the Jules Verne is well worth the money. It's not something I'd do every trip to Paris but I'm glad I did it once. The view is incredible, the food was excellent, the service was great and my daughter and I will never forget our lunch there. It was about $150 for 2 for lunch and wine. Dinner would be twice that.

There are sooooo many posts about JV. If you do a search you will get loads of reviews and suggestions.

What are you planning on spending for this dinner? JV and other restaurants in the same ranking will run you $500 for 2 for dinner; $300 for 2 for lunch.

Have fun!

Wendy

What are you looking for? Lunch/dinner or both? How much do you want to pay? There are literally hundreds of restaurants in Paris that serve French Cuisine. Where are you staying? That might help with a restaurant recommendation.

By the way, we had lunch for 2 in the Eiffel Tower at Altitude 95 with wine which cost us 63 Euro. The food & service was good -- not outstanding, but the view was fantastic. We got a window table.

I would recommend La Coupole for great French food - it is a HUGE brasserie serving every dish imaginable. Gorgeous art deco room etc etc

sonia

Hi
the JV is a unique and memorable experience, unforgettable view, very good food, prices are sky high to match the view.
My price estimates for JV would be closer to Wendy's than to Grasshoppers.

As said, there are hundreds of great restaurants in Paris in all price ranges. If you eliminate those that serve various non-French cuisines, there are still hundreds.
Lunch in any of them is less expensive than dinner, but if you are going to one of the Michelin rated places or other very top places, be prepared to at least 100e pp for lunch, or significantly more. "Worth it" is an individual opinion. I think the JV is worth it, budget permitting, at least once. Other people never want to spend that much money on a meal.

Are you looking for a view? A romantic setting? Do you love great wines?
Do you have a limit on your budget?

One advantage of the Jules Verne is their private elevator, which gets you up into the tower without waiting in line.

If it's a one in a life time deal..go for it!

Hmm. This restaurant might be pricier than I had originally thought. What do the estimated prices cover? (entree only, appetizer + entree, etc??) I will be on a budget and I would love to pay somewhere between 100-150 USD for 2 sans wine. Is this budget price still possible for lunch at JV? Or should I go with soniac's suggestion of La Coupole or another French restaurant? I would like a sit down restaurant that has a great view of the city.

Any additional suggetions/thoughts would be most helpful.

Thanks!

We ordered from "the menu" which included an appetizer, a main dish and a dessert. Also included was delicious bread and some great little treats in addition to the dessert. I had two glasses of wine and my daughter had one soda. I had coffee. The total was $150 USD on December 26, 2001. We were there for at least 2.5 hours. It was WELL worth the money and was part adventure, part meal. By the way, the meal part was great.

It might be tight to really enjoy the JV experience with the budget you are working under. Rather than cutting the experience short by getting the cheapest thing on the menu, rather than what you want, or by eliminating courses and, god forbid WINE, you may be better off enjoying the full treatment at somewhere more moderate. (Remember, you can still enjoy the view!)

If you do wind up at JV for lunch, make sure you get a reservation for as early as they open (12:15, I believe.) This is important as several tables are located in banquettes against the wall, essentially this means that you'll be away from the windows and one person will be facing a wall, and not the view. Get there early to ensure the window tables.

I'd recommend Les Bookinists, which has a lovely view of the Seine and Notre Dame...but it is also possible a big bus will park on the street next to the restaurant and screw up the view for a while. They do have a wonderful menu and you can do it on your budget. La Coupole isn't a bad suggestion at all - or Bofinger, or any of the "Belle Epoque" brasseries -- which have stunning interiors that are as visually pleasing as an exterior view...

I highly recommend Jules Verne for lunch. We ate there a couple of years ago and had a wonderful meal, a great view, and terrific service. Of course, the lunch was less expensive than dinner which was easier on the wallet. We requested a table with a view when we made our reservations and got a great table next to the window. After the meal, we exited the restaurant by the private stairs and were able to enjoy the tower without having to wait in line. I feel it was worth the price for the views, the food, and the experience.

Le Grand Vefour in the Palais Royale is a lovely restaurant which dates from the Belle Epoque, also. Among its devotees are (were, rather!) Colette, Proust, etc. I think it has 2 Michelin stars. Lunch there last May was 71-72 euro/person; it lasted almost 3 hrs.

Thanks to all for your input. It appears we're going to do the JV for lunch (hopefully), but I have one question, what is the dress attire?
Thanks!