You'll find that portions in French restaurants are smaller than here at home--so splitting an entrée might leave your teenagers hungry.

We are staying at the Regina this fall; here are some reasonably priced restaurants you can walk to: Le Petit Machon (prix-fixe-15E & 24E),L'Auberge du Louve (15E), Gli Angelli (30E), Maceo (29E), Willi's Wine Bar (25E), Le Clos Saint-Honore (25), Ebis (10E), A Casaluna (15E), La Rose De France (27E), La Sourdiere (11E), Chez Clovis (15E), Le Manege De L'Ecuyer (17E), Le Caveau Du Palais (21E), Barloti (30E), Aux Trois Olivers (12E). For more info on these and more go www.lesrestos.com.

A huge thank you to everyone for the helpful advise and restaurant suggestions. I will put all of the info to good use in just a couple of weeks. I am so excited!!

I sympathize...our family just came back from two weeks in France, and I found that feeding three teenagers in Paris was hideously expensive.

Careful...what seems a bargain sometimes, such as a prix fixe lunch at ten euros, isn't. The quality is often substandard, we found last month. Better to spend a little more and get a decent meal. We had our best luck with price, quality and value, and a few really memorable meals, in the small Vietnamese and Chinese places one finds in the neighbourhoods.

Careful too with the beverages when you think you've found a bargain prix fixe...they tend to make up the lost margin by charging you 5 Euros for a Coke Lite, or 7 for a draft beer.

We were so pooped by the end of a day touring Paris, the last things we would have wanted was a fancy meal.

We ended up several times at a family-style Italian place across from our hotel (i believe it's a chain, called Luna something).

Totally family friendly, decent food and prices, and very relaxing. Seemed to host a mix of tourist and local families both.

There are two places called "Mezza Luna" - one on blvd St Michel and one on rue de Buci...

Hey Ambergirl!

Relax, you'll have a great trip. The restaurants that you read about here tend to be in the "fine dining" range. There are TONS of reasonable restaurants in Paris for family dining - you'll have no problem finding somewhere to eat. My children are younger than yours, but they enjoyed croque monsieurs in cafes, and LOVED eating crepes and panini's off of street vendors for a quick, cheap (3-4 euro) meal. Watch out on the drinks, though - a Coke or Fanta will be approx. 5 euros.

I agree with the other posters, that splitting plates probably won't be an issue - serving sizes are MUCH smaller in Paris. In fact, my 3 year old could finish a plate on his own.

A few good restaurants that I found to be "family friendly" were L'Ambassade d'Auvergne in the 3rd (order aligot - the mashed potato dish) and Pizzeria Pepone in the 6e (delicious, cheap food). Here's a link to long reviews I wrote for each if you'd like more info;

http://www.parisescapes.com/paris_restaurants_top.html

Thanks Travelnut. That's the one, on St Mich. I didn't mean that Mezza Luna is so amazing but a good example of how families could eat good food in a nice comfortable atmosphere without spending $100US per person.

There are some very good suggestions here, but I have to admit every time I see the title of this thread I think it says "Is it Polite to Spit . ."

Anyway, as already stated above there are many opportunities for more casual dining than what is commonly reported on here, and casual doesn't me "junk food". Sandwiches, salads, omelets, crepes, roasted chicken, meat, cheeses & breads from the markets, and low key restaurant dining are all very do-able. I certainly understand that with a family of 5 food costs are a concern and can add up fast, but you will be able to find good food without going crazy on price. Have a wonderful trip!

Me too, grantop! :-)

There are so many moderate dining options in Paris. You and the kids will find lots to eat without breaking the bank.

Hello, Ambergirl! I agree with much of the advice already posted, but just want to support a few things that Ira mentioned:

Are there certain places that are in the $50US per person range that need reservations in August? <

Yes, it is polite to make a reservation the evening or morning before. While you may not have any problems without a reservation, it is a good idea for a larger family (read: more than a couple.) This will let a small restaurant arrange tables in advance. Many wonderful, inexpensive French places can be small, and this is just good logictics planning for a family of 5.

While a reservation takes out some of the spontentity of travel, you may discover a few places in the neighborhood that look good, and the owner will appreciate the courtesy. Also: at the end of a long day of touring, it's nice to have a place picked out and not start from scratch in finding a place.

>If we find ourselves in a situation where two of the kids want to share an entree, is that acceptable etiquette in Paris?<

Yes, there MIGHT be an extra charge for splitting a main course plate, but I have not seen many. Also: most places have portions that are smaller than U.S. restaurants, especially if you order the prixe fixe. Knowing many teenagers, they may need their own main courses.

I don't know if you want to get over to the 8th for dinner, but one exception to the small-portion dinner is Le Beouf Sur le Toit. It has a nice art deco atmosphere, and I had a great (and surprisingly large for what I usually expect) choucroute made with seafood instead of meats, although meat is a specialty at this bistro-like place. I'd recommend splitting the main course here if you have diners with smaller appetites. Caution: the airconditioning might not be up to a hot August.

Really touristy but fun is a place on the main street of the Ile St. Louis, with a name SOMETHING like Sargeant Racoutrer. It's a place that the annual tour of students from a certain school goes, and the they seem to like it. 40 euroes of so for a multi-course prix fixe that includes a sausage & bread basket.

Also consider stopping by the food markets of the Bon Marche department store in the 7th. There is a variety of take-away meals and sandwiches. There is a small seating area, often crowded, so I often find myself in the nearby park, with all the others who have taken lunch out from Bon Marche.

And yes: I find that at less expensive restaurants, wine is a larger component of the total tab (but I won't do without wine at dinner!)

Hi A,

You should never spit your entree in any restaurant, no matter what country.

Roseanne Rosannadanna

On a day trip to Paris a couple of years ago, we were surprised to find a load of good cheap restaurants just a spit away from Notre Dame on the ile de la cite. our "Menu" cost just E10 each plus drinks, and perhaps we were lucky as it was great or perhaps we're easy to please? It was full of french office workers having their lunches, and they can't all be wrong.
Even in August, there will be a lot of locals around, so try to see where they are eating and follow them.
also, look out for the Brasserie type restaurants - they will serve you a good meal, or just one course, at almost any time of day. I have never come across a french waiter who objects to kids sharing - if you use a few "s'il vous plais" and "mercis", they are only too happy to oblige.

Good point, annhig -- the "rules" are sometimes a little different for children/teens, and polite manners always go a long way.

FYI: one of the reasons that the French have such a wonderful cafe culture, including lunchtime office workers, is that many employers give a lunch voucher as a benefit to its employees, rather than operate their own lunchrooms. There is also a tax benefit to employers who do this. 'Seems like a reasonable thing to do, given the French emphasis on good food and an office not having to deal with managing the lunchroom. Anyway, there is a little "cheque dejeuner" decal that a restaurant will display that indicates which places accept these vouchers. Also: the voucher is for a set amount (about $5-6) so that lunch is subsidized, not carte blanche.

Some of you guys are scaring me! My husband and I are going to spend a week in Paris and two additional weeks in the countryside in September. We've been to Europe several times but this is our first trip to France. I hope we can find "reasonably priced" restaurants and by that I mean $35-40 per couple! We live in Louisville and believe me we don't ever spend $40 per person on a meal. We eat out a couple of times a week and find very good meals for less than $20 per person. I'm afraid Paris may break the bank! Ouch!!! By the way, we're staying at Hotel Bonaparte. Any recommendations??

Please remember, when you compare Paris prix-fixe prices with USA prices, the French price includes tax & tip...always. So you need to add another 20% or so to the USA price to make a fair comparison. Then there is the quality issue; here Paris wins by a long shot, in my opinion.
In my earlier post I forgot to mention Chez Flottes, on rue Cambon. They have great croque sandwiches; Royale & Provencal are our two favorites. And they have Aligot; God's gift to mashed potatos.

mkdiebold- There is no reason to be afraid. You can certainly find reasonable meals in Paris. Just stick to casual places, not upscale restaurants or the kind listed in guidebooks. And include lunches from the crepe stands or excellent sandwiches ready to take-out at a bakery.

Where we live in California it's very easy to spend $40 per person for a not-very-special meal. For that amount in France the quality is much, much higher.

Local places in Paris can be a hit-or-miss affair, but they are rarely terrible. A couple can eat a perfectly acceptable (and sometimes excellent) meal for 30 euros or less. Never forget that French restaurants must post their entire menu outside, so it is really quite easy to decide what you want to eat and what you are going to spend before ever stepping through the door. And for those who have misunderstood something or found something else not to their liking once they have sat down, it is also extremely common to get up and walk out after consulting the menu. Don't forget to say "merci" as you leave.

mkdiebold - don't worry, you can eat cheaply and well in Paris. I went there several times as a student when 20 dollars per person would have been a generous budget. The usual rules apply - try not to eat in the most touristy and picturesque places (e.g. the main square in montmartre) and it's a good plan to look for restaurants full of locals not tourists.

I always found the Lets Go guides to be good for recommending cheap restaurants; it might be worth getting one from your local library to make a note of their suggestions.