Le Train Bleu
 

We will be staying in the 12th and only a few minutes away from this restaurant. I did a search and the the results were a couple of years old, so I'm hoping there some more recent experiences. I love the Belle Epoch look and feel of the restaurant based on the website, and i think we'd enjoy the surroundings immensely, as long as the food was reasonably good. Also, is this a jacket and tie affair as we would like a couple of get dressed for dinner locations that don't break the bank.

Appreciate any feedback on this!
mike

We went last for Christmas Eve and it was nice. My husband wore a sport coat and tie. It wasn't our best meal in Paris but it was good and the restaurant is lovely, no question.

We had a Christmas Eve tasting menu-don't remember the cost but it wasn't terribly expensive...but that's all relative, I guess!

Great place for drink > I've had better food at many other places but the atmosphere makes it worth the price of drink atlest!

We enjoy it more for lunch than dinner (service is better) and dress nicely with tie, but no sports coat. The menu rajeune was very good, as was the special of the day (roast leg of lamb with au gratin potatoes. They had the best apple tarte the day we were there. Don't bother with the champagne gourmet meal...not worth it.

I do wish their food was just a notch better, which would make it excellent, but we figure you're getting the atmosphere/architecture to make up for it, so generally go each time we are staying in Paris more than a couple of days.

I feel like I'm being ostracized in the bar, off to the side, and just don't get the same "wow" effect there.

I've been there three times and wholeheartedly recommend it. The food is definitely "reasonably good", and the decor and ambiance are a big part of the experience.

I've never gone for lunch, but the menu and prices are the same as for dinner.

Thank you all for the feedback!

We have 2 kids in college so we feel we need to rationalize any extravagance... We are in Paris for 7 days in October and I'm torn between having a dinner at Le Jules Verne one night or spreading that $1k across several dinners out. It's our first trip to Paris, so whatever we do will be great and long remembered.

We are not food critics, and if truth be told, are probably more inclined to well prepared peasant food than any avant-garde presentations. Still, the atmosphere is always important and we're looking forward to plenty of that!

thanks again!
mike

It is a fun place to go for a drink in the lounge, soak up the decor, and watch French families gather for a sumpuous meal. it is a splendid space and so much fun to think of it as a place travellers ate a meal during a journey in an entirely different time.

Mike, I was there about 5 years ago and loved it. Here are some photos of the food if you want to take a gander:

http://www.pbase.com/beatchick/image/58359531
http://www.pbase.com/beatchick/image/58359532
http://www.pbase.com/beatchick/image/58359533

We were there again in May, and were a bit disappointed. We go at least once every time we are in Paris, usually for lunch, and the place has always delighted us. This time we took friends, and had a less than stellar evening.

Perhaps I am being picky, but one thing that grabbed me the very first time I saw the place was walking across the station concourse to the lovely flight of curved stairs and gliding up with one hand on the gleaming brass Belle Epoch handrail. This time the handrail was badly tarnished, and encrusted with pigeon crap.

The rest of the evening went like that, too; just a little bit off. From the crummy table we got in the corner behind the serving station to the less than friendly service. The food was OK, and the room still spectacular --- but the bloom is off the rose for us, IMHO.

We were there in October 2010 (a year ago), at 7 p.m. Most of the men had no coat or tie.
The decor is splendid, we enjoyed very much. The food and the service were also good.

Go there, it is a so nice experience!

nukesafe,

It could have been worse... at least this didn't happen when
you were there! LOL http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4vcT4r7Tljk

kinda knew La Femme Nikita might show up here ;-)

I had a great birthday dinner there. The filet with bernaise sauce was wonderful and the room is beautiful. MDH wore a jacket, but no tie.

Love the Nikita video.

Have a great trip.

Parisamsterdam - Love it!

For menu prices go to http://www.le-train-bleu.com/uk/inde...train-bleu.php

Google le train bleu.

Select "Images"

Whatever people on this board tell you, you'll find the overwhelming majority of male customers are wearing neither jacket nor tie. Wearing either is likely to make your husband stand out - though no-one will care.

The Train Bleu was designed as a station buffet, not as a destination restaurant. It continues to derive a substantial proportion - probably at lunch, most - of its income from long-distance railway passengers. In the 21st century, few railway passengers, unless they're commuting, wear jacket or tie.

Hi Mike,

The best part of Le Train Bleu is the atmosphere.

The food is OK for the price.

You can wear a jacket and tie without feeling overdressed. The gets a lot of business types.

You can also not wear a tie.

We like the back room.

Enjoy your visit.

((I))