I will be in Paris next summer at the beginning and end of our France trip to Provence. There are so many restaurants to consider that I thought it would be better to ask for advice about restaurants that have a special "personality." For instance, when I was in Madrid we at at Botin, supposedly the oldest restaurant in the world. The food was good, but what I loved the most was the atmosphere, character, and history of the place. I'll never forget it.

Our last night in Paris will be Bastille Day and I thought it would be wonderful to enjoy a meal sitting outside while looking at the Eiffel Tower and all the fireworks. The other evening will be an ordinary Wednesday night.

We would prefer dining in a more relaxed atmosphere rather than something super-formal, but I'm open to all suggestions and experiences.

Thank you!

www.chezfrancis-restaurant.com

www.cieldeparis.com

www.restaurant-cafedelhomme.com

Here are two restaurants with both atmosphere and character:

http://www.lesergentrecruteur.com/
http://www.nosancetreslesgaulois.com/

Café Procope is said to be the oldest restaurant in Paris. Former habitués include Voltaire, Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caf%C3%A9_Procope

http://www.procope.com/

I have eaten the meal from Hell at Procope. And we even ate right under Ben's bust. Overpriced, lots of attitude on the waiters, and a good attempt to overcharge us mightily. Can you tell I hate the place, and it was for my birthday celebration.

Procope would be OK for a drink, but food gets rated poorly. Nice neighbourhood. No view of fireworks.

Sergent Recruteur is OK, different way of serving food, but not really great food. Nice neighbourhood, no view of fireworks.

Also away from Eiffel...

http://www.pomze.com/

Menu based on apples

and another

http://restaurant-ilotvache.com/inde...o=presentation

Nice decor, not near Eiffel

http://www.le-train-bleu.com/uk/index.php

The Galloise ancesters restaurant is a bit of a tourist trap, and I'm not sure the Sergeant Recruiter is much better. It is fun for a group, maybe, and if you really don't care if the food is top notch. It is a bit of kitsch.
The OP might think about Bofinger. No view of fireworks, but a good solid French brasserie.
There are restaurants around the Bastille that have outside seating. Sort of just regular restaruants. I know that isn't the Eiffel Tower, of course.

You can immediately discard the idea of seeing the fireworks from a restaurant unless you go to the Ciel de Paris suggested above. Do you think it would be a snap to do this when 800,000 other people are putting up with sometimes abominable conditions to see the fireworks from the Champ de Mars?

Procope the building holds some interest. Procope the restaurant is terrible.

I can't think of anywhere where you could sit outside and eat dinner and see the Eiffel Tower and watch the fireworks. There aren't any restaurants right near the ET because of the Champ de Mars, and the fireworks don't begin until 10 pm anyway.

Chartier has personality, but like so many of the others, the food's mediocre and the service brusque.

Le Train Bleu is bursting with personality. I haven't been to Pomze, but seems like that would be a good choice. Even Bofinger, just for being what in most people's minds is probably quintessentially Parisian.

You can sit outside at one of the cafes at the Trocadero and see the ET (we always have dessert there late at night). Can't remember which one, but just wander around the circle and you'll find the one with the view. But it's probably going to be packed.

ttt

The NY Times in 2010 published reviews of several Paris restaurants run by "up and coming" young chefs. Of these, we tried Restaurant Jadis for lunch (208, rue de la croix Nivert
75015 Paris) not far from the Cordon Bleu school. It was excellent.

Hi J,

Another vote for the "fin de siecle" environment of www.le-train-bleu.com/uk/index.php

We also like,
"Just plain folks"
Bistrot de la Grille Saint Germain 1 r Guisarde
Fish 69, Rue du Seine
La Ferrandaise 8 Rue de Vaugirard Not Sun
Le Florimond 19 Ave de la Motte-Picquet
Maison du Jardin 27 rue de Vaugirard Not Sunday.

"Olde Tyme Paris"
Brasserie Lipp 151 Bld St.Germain
Le Petit Zinc 11 r St Benoît
Restaurant Vagenende 142 Boulevard St. Germain

Enjoy your visit.


>Our last night in Paris will be Bastille Day and I thought it would be wonderful to enjoy a meal sitting outside while looking at the Eiffel Tower and all the fireworks. <

You and a million other people.

There is a restaurant on rue Grenelle that claims to be the oldest restaurant in Paris...founded in 1680...so I don't know which is really the oldest Le Procope or this one, Le Petit Chaise. I believe several people on this forum have had good experiences there.

I guess you could try Le Jules Verne in the ET.

Love the opulent decor at Le Train Bleu; good food.

Great food at Le Florimond.

Good food at La Petite Chaise, but it was full of English-speaking tourists when we were there.

TTT

One of my favorite restaurants is Le Tastevin on the Ile St. Louis. It's a small, very old room but immaculate, maybe 15 tables, 40-60 euros for three courses, not including wine.

Josephine/Chez Dumonet on rue de cherche midi in the 6th is my idea of the quintessential old time bistro. it's got 80 years of history and serves all the classics--duck confit, cassoulet, herring in oil, boeuf bourguignon, terrine de campagne. Nice cheese plate.

Can't wait to sit at my computer Monday morning and dive into all the websites and recommendations. My thanks to all.