We have heard about this restaurant called Frenchie in Paris, owned by an American chef. We hear they are booked up weeks or months in advance. They also have a wine bar across the street from the main restaurant. Has anyone been there? There are 5 couples going to Paris and we were wondering about it. Is it strictly a tourist spot?

I just check with my favorite guide to dining in Paris, Patricia Wells' Food Lovers Guide To Paris (http://patriciawells.com) and she has some good comments regarding the restaurant. You'll need to make reservations. And no, not a tourist spot. The dinner menu is affordable, €34-€45/person. There is a restaurant and wine bar.

It's not at all touristy, or certainly wasn't when we lucked into a table last February when we were there. We were staying in the neighborhood, walked over late one evening, a reservation hadn't showed, and we got in and had a yummy dinner. It is, however, next to impossible to get a reservation as they rarely pick up their phone, as well as being booked for ever. It's a tiny restaurant, and ten of you would take up a lot of air.
Their wine bar right across the street, though, serves fab food too, doesn't accept reservations and you might all be able to eat and hang out there.

Frenchie is fantastic- and though reservations will be hard to obtain for 5 couples at one time since it is a small restaurant, the wine bar across the street is an equally great alternative- just get there on the earlier side and you can sit at a couple of tables- the owner/chef is Greg Marchand who is French, though trained extensively in England and New York- enjoy yourselves!

Gregory Marchand is French though he has worked in the US. The restaurant is very small, seats around 20 and I'm not sure they will even accept a reservation for a party of 10.

The wine bar doesn't take reservations and has been expanded though you may still end up standing.

There is talk on Chowhound about getting reservations on line:

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/869039

The maximum party size on the online form is 4.

The wine bar is fun and the food is good. With a party of 10, I'd get there before their 7pm opening time.

Where is Frenchie in Pari located? Will be in Paris in May and it sounds like a restaurant I would love.
Thanks.

On Rue du Nil in the 2nd http://www.frenchie-restaurant.com/en The wine bar is directly across from the restaurant.

ooh - in Oct. I'm staying in the 1st ( know, I know ) and will be walking distance. Does the wine bar get uber crowded?

<i>Does the wine bar get uber crowded?</i>

We arrived just before opening time and grabbed the last 2 seats. Others that arrived after us stood around the bar. This was before they expanded but from what I understand they're still pretty busy.

janisj, consider the Verjus wine bar, just behind Palais Royal. It is not large and may also get busy but worth a try. We are also staying in the 1st early October....not our usual but the apartment worked for our group.

Verjus wine bar is good too. In this neighborhood we also like La Garde Robe though their food is more limited to the cheese/charcuterie type.

We have eaten at Frenchie's several times -- the first couple times we thought it was fantastic. This past winter when we ate there we thought it was very good. I think they have two choices for each course. I believe the online reservations open 45 days in advance (or 30 days you should check their site). It's very easy to make them online. if you really want a certain date you can go online around midnight East Coast time and book your reservation. It is a small restaurant, but they could push tables together to accommodate 10 people I think. they definitely can accommodate 8 @ one table since we saw that last time we were there. They have 2 seatings, one at 7:30 and one at 9:30. The night we were at the restaurant the bar across the street was packed. This was midweek around 9:30 or so.

Out of curiosity I looked at their website and the reservations - it only allows you to put 4 as the number for diners. So it looks like you would need to split up if you want to eat there. Although as I said, there was a big party of 8 celebrating when we were there. They are also on FB-maybe post a question there.

A group of us tried to have a GTG at the restaurant last year and were unsuccessful. However I'm not completely clear if they were booked or didn't take parties that size. I think we were 10 or 11 at the time. We actually had another restaurant turn us down as well because they didn't want to accept a large party.

May '12 we walked to the wine bar only to find it closed for renovations. Was so looking foward to it but will go next year.

Maybe you're thinking of the American chef at Spring? That is also on my list.