Dear Von:

For a fabulous, yet inexpensive porterhouse steak in Paris, at a place always loaded with locals, check out Cafe Roussilon on the corner of Rue Cler and Rue de Grenelle..
http://www.ricksteves.com/plan/desti...uecler0208.htm.

The porterhouse for 2 is about 20 Euros and the wine list is fairly priced also, bottle starting at 10 euros.

Bon Appetit!
Luis

Here's a website that has a list of Paris restaurants and some of the entries even list how many euros you would expect to spend.

http://www.paris-eiffel-tower-news.c...staurants.html

An old standby cheap eat in the 7th is Chez Germaine on rue Pierre Leroux, no smoking, no reservations,basic decor but honest cooking...just the opposite of the beautiful old tourist trap with terrible quality food called Chartier. You should go and see Chartier, but try to do so off hours and only have a drink.

Two inexpensive, yet interesting, restaurants are Polidor and Chartier (both from the 19th century).

Bookmarking--thanks VonDrake--this si right up my alley!

I must agree with Trudaine about Chartier. I think it is dreadful (food and service), but a lot of tourists go there because it's in a lot of guidebooks as being historic (which it is) -- and cheap, I think that appeals to tourists, also. I dropped by for lunch once when staying in the 9th, and that was enough for me. That food was mediocre, but okay for the price, of course (which was pretty cheap). I would not want to spend dinnertime there, but it was okay for lunch. I wouldn't ever go back, though, as I disliked the noise, crowds, and bad service.

I think you can find cheap restaurants fairly easily if you go to regular neighborhoods, and those outside the central area. Of course, even there you can find cheap ones, but that doesn't mean they are any good. Lots of cheap restaurants are bad, that's why they are cheap (like all those places that cater to tourists on rue de la Huchette--if you just want cheap, that's cheap).

A step up from those, there are quite a number of cheap restaurants around rue Pot du Fer in the 5th arrondisement (off rue Mouffetard). There are some decent restaurants in that area, but they cost more. The real cheap ones are maybe 15 euro for a prix fixe dinner. I wouldn't eat at them as that is too cheap to be good IMO, and I didn't want to risk it, but you can if you are adventurous. A couple looked better than others. Generally, you get terrible meat when the price is that cheap.

bookmarking

Cafe du Marche on the Rue Cler is wonderful - authentic and inexpensive. Another great cafe on the Ile St. Louis is Cafe Med, right along the main street. Both of these are found in Rick Steves Paris guide.

Café du Marché- UGH! Check out the kitchen some time and you'll run screaming in the other direction. It's disgusting....

In the 7th I'd say the Croque au Sel on the rue Ste-Dominique next door to the Fontaine de Mars is a great bargain. They used to have a prix fixe of 50 francs before 8 pm - not sure whether they're still doing that or how it translates toeuros.

And the Sicilian pizza/pasta place on the avenue Bosquet just north of the Bistro de Papa is also a great value, as is Punjab, the Indian restaurant on the Place Ecole Militaire.

VonDrake - I was taken by a fellow Fodorite to a teeny place called Restaurant L'Insulaire, 16 rue Gregoire de Tours (Metro Odeon) off Blvd.St.Germain in the 6th.
Good, cheap and cheerful!

Further afield out of the touristy areas is where a lot of authentic cheap French food can be found.
From another Fodorite,(Dave-in-Paris)who lives, works, & I guess eats at loads of moderately priced restaurants all over Paris! He recommended this little gem called Bistro du Peintre, 116 Ave Ledru Rollin & Rue Charonne. It dates back to 1903 and has a famous old zinc bar counter. The food is great! Actually more than great - yummy!
Metro: Ledru Rollin

I guess even when I've won a big lottery ... I'll still go get a gyro in the area around St. Severin.. sigh. I don't even know what part of the lamb/sheep that big cone o'meat comes from! Just tastes so good!

Chez Papa, for the "Boyarde" salad, which most people cannot finish. Locations throughout Paris.

Bookmarking

Let me emphasize what St. Cirq said about the Café du Marché, definitely not a good choice in my opinion.

Thanks for all your replys.

I especially like the suggestions of the more hidden away places, far from the maddening tourist crowd.

We may be from different planets, but I would not consider 50 euros a particularly cheap meal
(more like 10...or less).

Anyway-- thanks to all, and keep them coming!

St. Cirq,

I think the small pizza place you are referring to on Ave. Bosquet is Casa Tina; I think it is the best pizza in the area with their wood fired oven. Incidentally "Papa" retired and sold Bistro de Papa over a year ago to the Brasserie Wepler group and it has been remodeled and named "Bistro B"

A "this is a helpful thread!" bump.

try this thread on eGullet: http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=84307, or this:http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7634215/.
Great question!

bumping - great recommendations for good values in Marais

There's a great little place on the Rue Mouffetard for quiche, both savory and sweet. I didn't remember the name, but a quick search suggests that it might be the Mouff Tart.

For excellent Senegalese food, try Paris Dakar. In a slighly dicey neighborhood north of the Pompidou Center.

And there's always the option of getting a baguette with egg and tomato and mayonnaise from a sandwich stand. I dream of these!