Cathinjoetown,

Honestly, we have no particular restaurants in mind at all. The Paris restaurant scene is quite honestly too daunting for me to even consider before I get there! I don't even know where to begin. I planned to post a thread about restaurants that can accommodate large groups closer to our trip.

In reality there will only be 8 of us for much of the week. We will only be 11 for 2 evenings in Paris. Even so, if we end up at different tables or different restaurants, we will be ok with that. We have an entire week at a villa outside Avignon to be close together.

2 restaurants that I found suitable for large groups are

Chez Jenny on place de la république. Alsatian brasserie, very good choucroute (sauerkraut).

Le boeuf sur le toit (not far from Champs Elysees) very nice place, big with ok food and hesitant service.

Enjoy Paris.

Unless there are some really hyped-up restaurants that everyone is simply dying to try - and which will require reservations many weeks, if not months, in advance - you don't need to get yourself too worked up about "the Paris restaurant scene".

Most normal restaurants (but not most cafes) will have a couple of tables that can accommodate 6 - 8 people, but you should definitely reserve ahead if more than 4 of you want to eat together. Often, a few days to one week is long enough in advance.

Otherwise, you can just wander around, look at the menus posted outside on practically every street in Paris, and decide if you want to eat right away. Most of the time you'll be seated, though might not be at adjoining tables. If you'd prefer to come back later for lunch or dinner, ask the waiter if you can make a reservation. If your last name is difficult to spell or pronounce, make up something easier - and make sure to remember it.

Note that some restaurants serve all day long - "service continue". Many serve lunch only from 12h00 - 14h30 and dinner from 19h30 - 22h30, with nothing but drinks in-between.

Bouillon Chartier is another popular place for group dining.

Whathello and fuzzbucket,

Thank you for the suggestions. I will write those down and will check into them before we leave.

I honestly just want to wander and look at the menus, so it's good to know that we can inquire if they can seat us all at a later time. I would not have thought of that! Hopefully I can get our point across in my high school level/Rosetta Stone refreshed French.

Thank you everyone again!

Jen

>> I honestly just want to wander and look at the menus <<

We do this all the time, but with 11 (!) people I would recommend a little more planning. I would not appear with the party of eleven at 19:30 at a restaurant door and ask for a table. It might turn out as a frustrating experience for you all. The minimum amount of planning would be making the reservation at lunch time for dinner the same evening, better a day before.

The quality of restaurants in Paris varies a lot - from tourist rip-offs to authentic neighbourhood restaurants with good value for money. The general rule is to avoid restaurants at the main tourist drags and look into the side streets.

I still find that the Red Michelin Guide (available online: viamichelin.com) is the best source to find restaurants. Just look up what's in the vicinity of your hotel, check the rating (EACH restaurant that is listed by Michelin is good, even if it falls in the simplest category) and then the restaurant's website for the menu.

With 11 people it is always a good idea to order one of the set menus (they usually have choices). Don't start ordering à la carte with individual requests ("I want the tomato salad, but without tomatoes") - it will turn into a disaster with a table of eleven!

I found Tripadvisor never trustworthy for restaurant reviews.

>> I honestly just want to wander and look at the menus <<

An old story pops into my mind.

It was long ago, when we were students and on tight budgets. We were two young couples, wandering through Paris and finding a nice-looking little restaurant with a promising menu.

In the evening we went there, but only to learn that the interesting choices were gone and that the only available items were something like paté de campagne as a starter and steak haché as a main course. We left without ordering.

After leaving, one of our ladies shouted "Look there! There are Parisians going to!". Indeed, on the other side of the street was another restaurant, and the menu was even better.

We were early, and the place was still pretty empty. We ordered a menu with soupe de poissons and duck leg with green pepper. At the table next to ours there was an elderly man who took his son out for dinner. To our amazement, the young Parisian asked "What are crudités?" and the older man explained it to him, in a way that seemed a bit too affectionate for a father.

We were served the first course and the restaurant filled up - with types that could have starred in a Jean Genet film (with muscle shirts and tattoos), all male. Our waiter became increasingly nervous and served us very quickly. Next to us, there was something going on between father and son below the table.

When the scene started to become really lively, we had finished our meals, decided to take the digestif elsewhere, paid and left. When we left, there were two men kissing right in front of the restaurant door, now no more chance of mistaking the place.

But it was a very good meal for a very reasonable price. And certainly authentic. And a lasting memory.

buckeyevet - no worries about speaking French. Almost all waiters speak enough English (and other languages) to understand the word "reservation" and take your order when the time comes. Just hold up your fingers to designate how many of you there will be, and remember to use "military time" - this way, there won't be any mistakes.

It's rare that restaurants allow substitutions - if they do, it will normally be noted on the menu. Usually, you will only be asked "et comme cuisson?" (how do you want your meat cooked?). Learn the words for "rare, etc", and realize that it might not come out as you'd hoped, anyway. I would never send meat back to be re-cooked.

Drink orders are always taken last, and might not arrive first. Salads always come with dressing on them, etc. Just go with the flow enjoy each other's company and you'll be OK. Whatever you do, don't move the chairs or tables - they are where they are for a reason (partly legal, partly to make it easier for the waiters).

buckeyevet - no worries about speaking French. Almost all waiters speak enough English (and other languages) to understand the word "reservation" and take your order when the time comes. Just hold up your fingers to designate how many of you there will be, and remember to use "military time" - this way, there won't be any mistakes.

It's rare that restaurants allow substitutions - if they do, it will normally be noted on the menu. Usually, you will only be asked "et comme cuisson?" (how do you want your meat cooked?). Learn the words for "rare, etc", and realize that it might not come out as you'd hoped, anyway. I would never send meat back to be re-cooked.

Drink orders are always taken last, and might not arrive first. Salads always come with dressing on them, etc. Just go with the flow enjoy each other's company and you'll be OK. Whatever you do, don't move the chairs or tables - they are where they are for a reason (partly legal, partly to make it easier for the waiters).

Just one more thing - don't get too hung up on thinking that if only French people are in the restaurant the food will be any good. It's more likely that it's close to work or home and is reasonably-priced.

"et comme cuisson?"

well done is "bien cuit" (never order that, read Anthony Bourdain why not)
medium is "medium"
medium rare is "saignant" (literally "bloody", which usally triggers bad jokes from English students)
rare is "bleue"

Though those instructions may work sometimes, it all depends on where you're eating.
I'll just repeat what I mentioned before - don't expect meat to come out the way you're used to having it cooked. There are reasons for this:
Due to the economy, many restaurants serve meat that is pre-cooked and frozen afterwards in some sauce, then reheated when you order it.
Due to the state of the workforce, many people preparing your meal are either strict vegetarians for religious reasons, or haven't got enough money to buy and cook meat for themselves, and don't know how.
In cafes and many restaurants, if you want to try "steak/frites", the meat will be cut thin, is often fatty and gristly, and not anywhere near as tender as US beef.
If you want a good steak in Paris, make sure to go to a restaurant that specializes in steak and nothing else.

A bit late to the game, but I just wanted to say I use my US cell number for dinner reservations in December and February and had no problem with restaurants calling me to confirm. Many French places use internet phone services now and their calls are free (for them).

Such wonderful advice! Thank you fuzzbucket, traveller and Belinida!

I have no issues with steak not coming exactly as ordered, however, there is one member of our party that will. So your advice to avoid steak unless it's a steak restaurant is very welcome!

And, to be honest, all 11 of us have no qualms about eating separately in Paris. We have an entire week in a villa in Provence where we plan to cook and dine all together. If we do decide to eat together, I will definitely utilize the hotel to help us make reservations for that.

"Steak/frites" - this used to be typical bistrot food 30 years ago.

Bistrots used to be ugly places where you went to consume large quantities of absinth and cheap red wine. If you got hungry - which naturally comes when drinking large amounts of alcohol - you may have ordered "steak/frites" and then you were served a product that was recycled from the garbage bins of shoemakers: heavily burnt, thin, tough and dry.

And never, ever a waiter would have asked ""et comme cuisson?"

Well, I am writing in past tense because I thought these times were over. I admit, I have not been in a bistrot for decades and have not had "steak/frites" for many years.

Fascinating to read that they still serve "steak/frites". I would assume, if a restaurant has "steak/frites" on the menu, you should not eat anything in such a place.

Another reason to select a restaurant somewhat carefully.

Steak/frites is still the #1 dish in France (followed by couscous). The only difference from the old days is that the steak is usually given a fancier name now (entrecôte, onglet, faux-filet, bavette, etc.) depending on the cut.

>> Steak/frites is still the #1 dish in France (followed by couscous). <<

Oh, boy.

I was yesterday shopping groceries in Strasbourg (at Auchon, to be exact), and I found so wonderful products there that I cannot imagine that there are still people who can afford eating in restaurants eating steak/frites or couscous. And I cannot imagine which one is more dreadful.

I never found it difficult to find restaurants in France serving decent food at moderate prices. And never had troubles eating delicious snacks from alimentations or hypermarchés.