I work at a highly regarded restauarant in Boston...french based. Every time a staff member goes over to Paris we always go to CHEZ DENIS. Prices are great, you feel like you are in a true bistro, and the food is amazing. Wine served by the amount you drink...not the bottle. The place is charming as hell. It is one block of the Les Halles train stop. It was the first Bistro opened for the Les Halle market workers.

It will be closing in a few years as soon as the madame running the place passes (her husband already passed).

I would bet my butt chowhound has a review on it because the top Boston base chowhound writer (he helped collaborate on both the San Fran and NYC books) has gone WITH US to Chez Denis.

When I was last at Chez Denis (last April), the meal consisted of the following:

Complimentary sausages, olives, cheeses

Order of escargot

Order of country pates (huge portions of duck, guinea hen, rabbit, along with head cheese

Cote' De Beuof w/ Steak Frites and salted marrow (this is only available for two...it is HUGE...I shared it with my sous chef who was working in Paris at the time.

Some kind of tuna steak dish (not sure what it was...his girlfriend ordered it)

Two and half bottles of house red

3 Armagnacs

3 Double espressos

2 Bread Puddings (you could have gotten drunk on the thing)

1 Rasberry Torte.

We gave a thirty percent tip (hey we are in the biz and the service was impeccable.

Total Price PP: 50 Euro.

It would have been much less Euro pp if we had not given such a big tip.

Best food for the value I have gotten in Paris so far.

Only bad thing....Anthony Bourdain (that nitwit who knows how to write but is a true disaster in the kitchen) just profiled it on his Travel show...so dont know how packed it is going to be.

ttt

PMGOOSED-I AM DROOLING!
ADDRESS? DAYS OPEN? ETC? THANKS

let me check the net....but I dont know the address off hand. Basically, walk out of the train stop at les Halle, proceed under the atrium through the park...make a right on the street parallel to the park, first left...all bistros on the block, third one in on the right.

Place is ridiculously fun. Oh, if you want they can put you at a communal table. We sat with a middle aged couple and the woman's parents....SO MUCH FUN EATING NEXT TO THEM.

RESERVATIONS ARE A MUST....

ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT CHEZ DENISE?? YOU SAID DENIS. I WAS CONSIDERING IT BUT THE PORTIONS SOUND SO BIG-IS IT QUALITY FOOD?

The proper spelling is DENIS...Denise is the new name. Long story short, Denis was the owner...the husband. The wife took over (her name is Denise) when he died. Still called Denis by the locals.

Portions are big...but worth every piece YOU DONT EAT!!!!!

Trust me...GO

Quality food? Put it this way...my buddy and his girlfriend worked for the following: The only michelin 3 star owned by a woman in Paris (forgot the name) and for Pierre Hermes, considered by Pastry Chefs around as one of the top chocolatiers in the world. My buddies girlfriend is a pastry chef.

THEY EAT/ATE their twice a week. They have eaten at Auberge, Robichoun (sp?), etc.

They swore by the place...and now I do too.

If you want to get 1800 Parisian lifestyle in your belly and through the decor/experience...GO!

I JUST CALLED TO SEE IF THEY ARE OPEN 5/1 BUT GOT A MESSAGE. IF THEY ARE YOU HAVE BEEN A GREAT HELP-ALL MY OTHER CHOICES ARE EITHER CLOSED ON MONDAY OR CLOSED B/C IT IS LABOR DAY. THANKS
GO YANKEES!!

Intersection of rue Berger and rue Prouvenaires, just below (south) of Les Halles.
Chez Clovis is at the intersection; Chez Denis is just a few steps down rue Prouvenaires.
Metro Chatelet or Les Halles

YES....GO YANKEES...

They always have the answering machine...we left a ridiculous amount of messages....before finally getting in touch...AND THEY KNEW MY FRIEND.

Keep calling

Sounds like us !! Website ??????