Absonot

I arrive on Christmas Day in Paris and am looking for good restaurants that will be open for dinner. Anyone have any good recommendations or resources I can search? I'm hoping to find something authentic, in the 40-50EUR range per person.

Thanks!

Matisse

Hey There,

As for resources, I used the same other one that you did, and didn't get anywhere. I would recommend just calling restos that you're interested in, and checking their holiday hours. Also cityvox.com.

I called a few places today, and came up with these two:
-Bistro de Breteuil 3, pl de Breteuil 7th 45 67 0727. This place is popular for their prix-fixe menus which include 3 plats, half bottle of wine, and an apperitif -I think. (I know someone will be sure to correct me if I'm wrong!). I didn't inquire about the price though.

Perhaps a better choice quality wise, and where I'll probably be on the 25th, is L'Avant Gout 26, rue Bobillot 13th. They offer a 27euro menu, and will be offering a special Christmas menu on the 24th and 25th at lunch. The gent who I spoke to wasn't sure if they'd offer the special menu in the evening.

Also open on the 25th is La Closerie de Lilas 171, boul de Montparnasse. I like this place for drinks(albeit expensive ones)after dinner, and of course there's the Hemingway connection...

Also, maybe not "authentic", but you could try lunch at one of the big hotel restaurants. Le Meurice (Michelin 1 star )has a 55euro menu which looks good meuricehotel.com

Let me know what you find out.

Absonot

Thank you so much for your help! Let me share the few options I've discovered so far...(quotes taken from Zagat and others)

Le Tour Montlehry (AKA Chez Denise)
1er arrondissement
5, rue des Prouvaires (Châtelet-Les Halles) 75001 Paris
tel 014 2362182
EUR 44
Open 24hours like Pied de Cochon, with "modern, authentic" dishes, generous portions: veal kidneys, seared foie gras, tripes in calvados, etc. It's "smoky, noisy and crowded", but this "monument of a bistro" is "about as fun as Paris gets"; "go late for the festivities" (it's open 24 hours) and sit down to such Classic French delights as "big slabs of foie gras and huge ribs of beef" when the "party" begins; if this "always packed" Les Halles hot spot can afford to "close on weekends, you know it works!"

Grand Colbert
2 rue Vivienne 2nd arrondisement--01.42.86.87.88
Late/24-Hour
EUR 44
It is not a restaurant that I would normally choose, but it is a lovely room, a classic brasserie fom the 19th Century that has been nicely restored. I did contact them last year and received a very cordial reply, saying that they would indeed be open and would welcome us to a fine Christmas dinner. This renowned, classic brasserie is housed in the Galerie Colbert. Sporting repainted friezes, fabulous gilding and fine Cafe de Paris-style lamps, this wonderful 1830s brasserie, now a listed building, looks as good as new. One of this fashionable district's most popular eateries, there's a constant buzz about the place and classic fare features on the menu: beef or fish dishes and choucroute.
Located in the beautiful Passage Vivienne, this landmark locale is "one of the prettiest grand brasseries in Paris"; but while everyone says "yes to the very attractive decor", plenty say "no to the mediocre cooking and the prices"; but even if "it could do better", it's still recommended for "people-watching" (just be aware the "fun starts at 11 PM with the post-theater crowd; earlier, and it's all tourists&quot.

L?ARBUCI
25 rue de Buci, 6th
(33 1 44 32 16 00). M. Odéon
http://www.arbuci.com/anglais/default.htm
EUR 40
The hip new décor at this old brasserie has the same effect as Queen Elizabeth suddenly dressed in a super-chic number by Azzedine Alaia. The cool new look somehow seems out of place with the food, despite an attempt to jazz up the menu with dishes like scallops on a brochette of lemongrass. A dessert of 'roasted' pineapple with rum-raisin ice cream appeared to have been poached. Although friendly, service was flustered, with the waiters racing back and forth across the dining room. Happily, however, the all-you-can-eat oysters-and-grills prix-fixe survives, and remains one of the best deals in town. Open noon-midnight daily.


Findi
24, av George V (Alma-Marceau/George V)
Paris 014 7201478
EUR 43
http://www.findi.net/#
For a bit of "La Dolce Vita in Paris", folks head to this "fashion Italian" in the 8th; but while advocates applaud the "handsome" setting ("especially the widely spaced tables, so rare nowadays&quot and "great fresh pasta", antagonists argue against the "average food for scenesters" that's "expensive for the quantities" served; P.S. it resides in the `Golden Triangle' near couturiers, but "is it necessary to note on the menu that the waiters are dressed by Smalto?"


Spicy
8ème arrondissement
8, av Franklin D. Roosevelt (Franklin D. Roosevelt/St-Philippe-du-Roule) Paris 015 6596259
EUR 38
Serving up "fusion" fare "fashionable" enough to pull trendies in off the Champs, this Eclectic is "fun" "for dinner after the show" say supporters sweet on the rosy-hued decor (not to mention "the outfits worn by the waitresses" but cynics snap the "glorified fast food" "is not spicy and is not good", and neither is the "assembly-line service."


and also, the flo brasseries were a suggestion:

http://www.flobrasseries.com/

Christina

I sure don't know which ones will be open, so I think you have to ask your concierge for ideas, or just call yourself, also. 40-50 euro is pretty cheap for Christmas dinners, though, although they are less than NY eve prices. I think most restaurants are authentic in Paris, except Hard Rock cafe or something obviously not.

You could try Bouillon Racine in St Germain as they are open on Sundays when a lot of restaurants are not, but I don't know about that price range. Their usual price would be around 40 euro per person.

I don't know why Matisse is knocking the Bistro de Breteuil. I frequently dine in one of the restaurants owned by that company (they have several with the same style menus and prices) and their quality and prices are excellent. It is one of my favorite restaurants (Bistro Champetre). I actually think that company would be a good one to try for Christmas as they have several around Paris, and I've never heard bad reviews on any of them (although I admit I only know about 3-4 of them). They have a web site with menus, prices and contacts, but no info on Christmas. www.bistro-et-cie.fr

If I were going there, I'd have dinner at my favorite, Bistro Champetre, if I could. I always dine there once or twice when I'm in Paris, and they are really nice to me. They have a few tables with views of the Eiffel Tower and last time I came in from the rain at last minute with no reservation (last July), they were so kind and nice and gave me one of those best tables so I saw the Eiffel Tower sparkle every hour.

Matisse

Absonot,

Thanks for giving us more options.(BTW, I think I was the one who told you about L'arbuci and LeTourM on the other site you posted on. Funny how we get around...)

Christina, I wasn't "knocking" Bistro de Breteuil, I've never even eaten there. What I wrote was "perhaps a better choice quality wise..." referring to L'avant Gout. I'm basing that opinion on reviews that I've been reading on various sites. You wrote: "I frequently dine in one of the restaurants owned by that company". The quality of individual restaurants owned by the same company can vary from place to place. Have you ever eaten at Bistro de Breteuil? I'd be interested in hearing about your experience.