My husband and I are going to Paris in March and want to have one really nice, unforgettable dinner. Is Tour d'Argent worth it? What do you recommend that has it all -- food, service, atmosphere (preferably a view)? We're also considering Guy Savoy, Le Cinq and a few others, but I know Tour d'Argent has been around forever is supposed to be quite an experience. Any advice?

I've yet to dine at Tour d'Argent, but Le Cinq is fabulous and worth every euro IMO.

liz

The food is not worth the money, but then again it usually isn't at that price level. If you get a table overlooking the river and the Île de la Cité that can be nice, although still probably not worth the price.

Your best value in Paris is in the medium-priced restaurants. The top-tier restaurants charge more than they are worth. The food is excellent and the service impeccable, but still there are diminishing returns beyond a certain price range, so don't get your hopes up too high just because a place is expensive.

The coolest thing about La Tour d'Argent was that they gave me a postcard with the number of the duck I had (they raise their own), which made a nice souvenir, albeit not one that was worth $300 a person.

just a suggestion...lunch at the Tour d'Argent is a much better value and with the same high level of cuisine. They used to have a set luncheon menu at a fixed price...and you can usually get a table by the window overlooking Notre Dame. AND they even suggest special wines (not on the wine list)which are much cheaper than normal.

Same thing for Le Grand Vefour, another 3 star resto. Lunch is my choice!

Are you willing to pay alot to dine in a restaurant that people say offers mediocre food yet the view and surroundings are beautiful? If 'yes' then it's worth it.

Taillevent has no view like La Tour d' Argent, but the 70 euro lunch menu seems 'worth it' to me.

Some one (who's name I can't remember) posted a report here that dinner at Tour d'Argent for two was $733. !!!!
That convinced my husband who'd dined there as a college student in '48 that we could forego the experience during our stay in Paris in Oct. We had several wonderful meals in places not so well known and for half the price.

Worth it for a one time splash-out meal? Yes. I thought so. It was 700USD for lunch for 2. (My friend didn't want the "menu." He wanted a la carte pressed duck.)

Will I do it again? I seriously doubt it. For that kind of money I'd rather try one of France's other Michelin multi-starred restaurants.

Here's my post about it. The Tour d'Argent meal is at the beginning of day 3. If you read the whole thing you can compare the meals at Wepler, Vaudeville and in Troyes, France with it.

http://www.fodors.com/forums/pgMessa...p;tid=34718710

Unqualified to answer your question, and ultimately so is everyone else. Paris can help to provide many unforgettable meals and a generous portion of them may not be all that expensive. It takes some searching, which you're up to, and good for you! And a whole lot depends on what you bring to the table. Have a great time at the Tour d'Argent if you go. Look for things wonderful and surprising in every block and behind every door you open.

My husband and I went to the Tour d'Argent in 2000 for the most incredible dining experience I've had, and I've eaten at a lot of lovely places. We had a table at the window overlooking Notre Dame, and we sat next to a French family celebrating a birthday. I've never had duck prepared so well. The owner, M. Claude Terrail, stopped by to chat with us, and the sommelier recommended an incredible bottle of rose champagne that was, surprisingly, one of the least expensive on the wine list (it was still $100 or so).

The meal cost a total of about $350, I think. I sort of ignored the exchange rate, and said to my husband, "I'd rather stay at the Hotel Minerve for $80/night and be able to do this than the other way around".

It was worth EVERY sou.

And the Hotel Minerve was terrific, by the way. I plan to stay there again in a couple of weeks. Maybe lunch this time!