We are 2 couples in our early 70's passing through Paris for 3 nights in late May. Thank you to those who answered a previous question last week about Museum pass and travel cards. Was most helpful. Now I'm looking for recommendations for a mid priced restaurant (not Michelin starred) for my husband's birthday which falls while we are in Paris. We will be doing a walking tour of Montmartre from 5-7.30pm so thought it might be convenient to find a restaurant in that area but I have read that this is not a good idea as the restaurants in that area are tourist traps. So I'm hoping all you lovely folk can offer some suggestions for a place that is easy to get to by Metro from Montmartre, which is a typical french bistro, a little special, but not pretentious, and for which we don't need to mortgage our house. My own research has brought up so many restaurants that I am totally confused, so would be grateful for recommendations which you have personally eaten at, and would recommend to others. We do not have peculiar eating habits and just want a lovely memorable birthday meal. We are not big drinkers so would prefer to avoid a noisy bar. TIA.

We were in Paris in April and I just posted a brief write up of the places we ate on a local Chicago food forum here- https://www.lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=46819

Mentioned in that write up is Ripaille (looks to be 14 min on the metro). We really enjoyed our lunch there.

And the sister restaurant to Les Canailles Menilmontant (their Pigalle location called just Les Canailles I believe) isn't too far either (depending on where in the area you will be). We enjoyed Les Canailles Menilmontant as well so I would think their other location would be good.

We had a lovely dinner this time last year at Vagenende on St. Germain Blvd. It's within a block of the Mabillion and Odeon Metro stops and just across the blvd. Wonderful food and service. https://www.vagenende.com

There are very knowledgeable posters for Paris restaurants on Hungry Onion
https://www.hungryonion.org/
which is the successor to the late lamented Chowhound. You will get recommendations from residents of Paris, rather than from superficial tourists.

I’ve had many birthday dinners here, have taken both granddaughters and my lady friends here.
The room is drop dead gorgeous but it is in a train station, Gare Lyon, so you will see both fancy and casual dress. Very memorable
Le Train Bleu
https://www.le-train-bleu.com/fr/

Another favorite of ours is L’lot Vache on Ile St. Louis. Can’t count how many dinners we have had here.
https://www.lilotvache.fr/

One more, Le Grand Colbert in the 2nd.
Watch the movie “Somethings Gotta Give” with Jack Nicholson and Diane Keaton with the scene in this restaurant toward the end of the movie
http://www.legrandcolbert.fr/

I’ll also add that my 3 restaurants I listed are affordable. One reason we keep going back. We’ve spent more in plain Jane nothing restaurants in Paris more times than we can count.

One of our favorite places in Paris that might meet your needs is Le Cosi at 9 rue Cujas not far from the Pantheon. You are indeed wise to avoid most of the tourist traps in Montmartre. From Montmarte you would take metro line 12 direction Marie d'Issy from Abbesses or Pigalle stations, at Sevres Babylone transfer to line 10 toward Gare d'Austerlitz and get off at Cluny La Sorbonne, then walk a few minutes up rue Saint-Jacques to the restaurant's street. We have always been warmly welcomed, with great service and delicious food at moderate prices.

I support Aux Bons Crus, although it's a simple café, their food is excellent. If you want something exquisite, Le Grand Vefour is a great place.

Le Cosi is great. We have eaten there the last three times we were in Paris, and others that we have recommended this restaurant to also loved it. If they have it on the menu, don't miss the zucchini fritters (one appetizer feeds the table). I also really liked the hunk of veal and the hunk of slow cooked lamb (the menu names escape me). https://www.restaurant-le-cosi.fr/en/

Since you will be in that area if you want this place, don't miss the Museum of the Middle Ages (Cluny). If music interests you, see if and when they will have a concert of Moyen Ages music, which we quite enjoyed. https://www.musee-moyenage.fr/en/

Irenen, I seem to have missed your accommodation location. I'm asking because at the end of the day, we preferred eating in a place that was somewhat close to our hotel. Could you share that again?
AZ

We are staying at Turenne Le Marais.

If you want a recommendation for something closer to your hotel this place is getting a lot of good reviews from different Paris food critics I follow. I reserved online and we are going on our trip to Paris in 2 weeks.
https://www.bistrotdestournelles.com/en/

Also close to your hotel is another place, Parcelles, that is getting a lot of foodie love.
https://www.parcelles-paris.fr

Really appreciate I can reserve online!

We ate at Bistrot Des Tournelles last month and I personally don't recommend it. It is hip & trendy and in my opinion overpriced. Be aware they have two seatings so if you take the earlier seating they will ask you to leave if you linger past your allotted time (as happened to a table next to us). It was very busy and the service reflected that (long waits to order, get water etc). No fault of the one real waiter who was hustling to serve the packed place. The other gentleman seemed to help out when he felt like it but really just seemed to be coughing all over everything so probably best he wasn't doing much. It was a Saturday night so perhaps a week night wouldn't be so crazy. It has definitely been getting a lot of love from Paris foodies though so perhaps it was just a bad night (we got the recommendation from David Lebovitz's Instagram like most American's I bet). You may look at Bistrot de l’Oulette which is just down the street from Bistrot Des Tournelles (and near where you are staying). It's been there something like 35 years so a bit more old school if that's what you are looking for. We had a nice lunch there.

We’re going on a Tuesday night so hopefully will be less hectic. We are doing the earlier seating because my husband is working all week, so we’re fine with leaving. I’ve actually seen it talked up on a couple of other Paris food Instagram accounts (Lindsey Tramuta and Wendy Lyn) and we are staying in the upper Marais so location is convenient. We are going to Kubri in the 11th another night and that was a David L recommendation.

Here’s David Leibovitz recs for Paris restaurants. He was the Pastry chef at Chez Panisse long ago and has lived in Paris for quite a few years.
https://www.davidlebovitz.com/paris/

In 2019, we had our anniversary dinner at Pianovins. It’s in the 11th but not too far from where you are staying. Not touristy by any stretch. Intimate with warm service. Excellent food and wine at a palatable price.

Not all of Montmartre is touristy, but I’d suggest inquiring on the Hungry Onion for suggestions.

You will be just a 5 minute walk (according to Google) from L'Ange 20, where we had a great meal on our last trip to Paris. The food was inventive but not off-putting, service was excellent, and the price was quite moderate.
https://www.lange20.com/en/
Highly recommended, reservations essential.

Wow. Thanks everyone for all the terrific restaurant suggestions. Pity we only have 3 nights. Might try to squeeze a couple of lunch ones in as well as dinners. Much food doe thought

This (L’Ange 20) is one of my favorite places to dine, great food, great service, the waiter kindly and sweetly assisted me with my French. It’s on my must “go list” for September.

This may be too far, but we highly recommend: Le Petite Prince, in the Latin Quarter
https://www.lepetitprincedeparis.fr/.../menu_cl1.html

It's cozy & charming, with great food and service.
It is across the street from Le Coupe-Chou, which has a stellar reputation. We ate there, but we were underwhelmed by it— very busy, loud, poor service, mediocre steak & frites.

We liked Le Petite Prince much more.

There’s a lively & fun bar on the corner of this block. Lots of people partying outside it. We had cocktails there: zig zag cafe
https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaura...de_France.html

Another little restaurant we liked, is Le Caveau de l’Isle, on Ile Saint Louis
https://lecaveaudelisle.eatbu.com/?lang=en

(Cash only)

Low-key, good service, not touristy, good prices

We just got back from Paris and loved Parcelles and had a great casual dinner at Breizh cafe which specializes in Breton crepes. They’re both near your hotel and you can reserve online.