Narrowed down restaurant choices, someone please choose for me!!
 

My husband and I will be in Paris from Sept. 1st to Sept 3rd and I am trying to plan dining. I have narrowed it down to a few choices but cannot pick. I have seen all the places recommended on various forums. We are staying at Hotel Du Cadran.

Day One
-early dinner or a late dinner
We have a walking tour from 7:30-10pm. The tour ends at the Louvre.

Day Two
-Dinner
Will be coming from Champs Elysee to dinner. We wanted to see the Eiffel Tower lit up before going back to the hotel for the night.

Day Three
-lunch near our hotel is preferred as we will be going to the airport from there.

I have narrowed it down to the following:
-Le Coupe Chou
-Le Christine
-La Ferrandaise
-L'Ecurie
-Au Bon Accueil
-Reed ( wanted this for dinner but I have read they are closed Sun and Mon, sent an email inquiring)

I can only go on reviews and they all seem good. At this point I am about to close my eyes and point so any help is appreciated!

I have to say "meh" to La Ferrandaise. According to Fodorites, Reed is very good.

You can see the Tower lit from many places, perhaps better than the Champs. Why are you coming from there?
I think Reed is in the 7th--and that would be a good place to stroll over to the Champs de Mars to see it.
Fontaine de Mars is near there also--classic bistro. Les Clos des Gourmets is good.

In 8 trips to Paris, we have eaten in many wonderful restaurants but, of your choices, only Au Bon Affueil. While we had a nice dinner, I can think of a number restaurant that I would prefer. Many restaurants are closed on Sunday or Monday. Looks like your hotel is in the 7th Arrondisement so you might enjoy some of the Constant Restaurants.

To enjoy the Eiffel Tower all lit up, take a Seine River cruise at dusk and enjoy it that way.

I've never eaten in any of these, so can't comment on that. But I was just wondering where you could eat dinner before a walking tour that begins at 7:30? I don't know of any place where you could do that, other than a casual cafe or some brasseries, or a modest French chain restaurant like Chez Clement (which I like, by the way, but it's not a foodie destination like the ones you seek at all). Do you really want to eat dinner beginning at 10:30 pm?

So I'd figure that part out, if you want to eat before or after that tour as I think before will really limit your choices. I wouldn't choose either time for a special dinner if it were me, I don't want to eat a full big dinner that late at night, either. If you want to eat before that tour, if it isn't a nearby restaurant, you'd want to count on a half hour to get there, so you'd have to eat dinner starting at 5:30-6 for sure.

I had the same impression as Christina. That seems an odd time for a walking tour to me. I'm ready to relax with some wine and great food by that time.

Hi MO,

>We have a walking tour from 7:30-10pm.<

That is smack in the middle of dinner.
It will be hard to find some place open at 6:00-6:30

You won't find a good dinner much of anywhere before about 7:30 pm, and I wouldn't want to eat a fancy meal late at night, so that evening is a problem. Also, I've heard the Au Bon Acceuil has gone downhill in recent years, so can't personally confirm that.

This is Gayot's listing of restaurants. http://www.gayot.com/

Click on Paris, then choose the 7th.

Each restaurant will have a review if you click on it.

PS,

We liked Le Ferrandaise.

Also in the neighborhood is http://www.la-mediterranee.com/en/, which we liked. I think that it is open on Sunday evening.

And for a Sunday night do not fail to make a reservation--well in advance.

I'm pretty sure Reed is closed on Sunday and Monday which are difficult nights with Sunday even more difficult given your time limitations.

For Sunday night, maybe Semilla https://www.facebook.com/semillaParis They list their hours as noon to 11pm but if you plan to eat early, I would double check that the kitchen is actually open during the in between hours. You might also be able to get a light bite at the wine bar L'Avant Comptoir before the tour if you can manage to squeeze into the tiny standing room only bar.

For Tuesday lunch, I've enjoyed Chez l'Ami Jean, Pottoka, FL and La Table d'Aki in that neighborhood.

No restaurant is going to be open for dinner at 5-6 pm, including Semilla, which is way too high-end for that. Only cafes and some brasseries are and the modest chain restaurants (and in fact, their fare may be limited at that hour -- I eat at the cafe La Rotonde in Montparnasse sometimes as I stay in the neighborhood, and you get only a limited menu before the real dinner hour). Even some "chains" are not (eg, the Flo groupe, you can't eat dinner at Bofinger until 6:30 pm). Semilla is open in-between the lunch and dinner hour, but only for drinks and some snack stuff (charcuterie).

Yeah, I had wondered if Semilla actually served any cooked food in between. It appears that brunch goes til 4pm on Sunday but that's probably too early.

I believe Le Comptoir du Relais serves their brasserie menu all day on Sunday with no reservations taken.

Have you looked at the restaurant web sites to see their serving hours, menus and prices?

That would be the first place I would start - it doesn't matter how good other people think a restaurant is if you don't like their specialties. (Typically unlike many restaurants in the US, those in europe often don't have dozens of items in each category.)

I guess I didn't word my post very well haha sorry!

Day one I know we won't be getting any sort of quality dinner before the tour that's why I was hoping to go after.

Day two we are coming from the champs because that is the last thing we will be seeing before dinner that day. We just wanted to walk by the Eiffel tower, no need to see it from the restaurant. Our hotel is a 10 min walk.

Thanks for all the replies. Gives me a new direction to start looking again!

@nytraveler- I have read so many reviews, menus, and serving hours I could scream. That is why I am about to just give someone a list and tell them to close their eyes and point.

I think some of us would say there are really more interesting and exciting things to see than the Champs--it is a big wide avenue with chain stores and car dealerships. There IS a bus that goes down the Champs which if you want to see it, would make it nicer for such a short time in Paris as you have.
Where is your walk taking you? At 10:30, your meal would have to be where the tour ends, if you want to eat at that hour--and it might have to be a brasserie or café at that.

The Tower is lit up after sunset until midnight and then it 'twinkles' on the hour.

Be aware that in early Sept, sunset will be at 8:30 PM. So on Day 2, if it is your plan to see the Tower lit up, plan your dinner reservations accordingly.