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I'd love to have the time to spend in Paris to eat at all these wonderful places!

So far I have only managed le Petit Prince, last July, and had a most enjoyable meal with three teenage children. It was a pleasant place, very good food, helpful staff, and only 135 euros for the 4 of us, including a carafe of house wine and soft drinks.

I asked questions about it here before I booked, and the answers were very positive...

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34628038

Have a great trip, and post back to tell us where to get great budget meals when we next visit Paris!

Hi, jenn00,

I've scrolled throught the postings in response to your restaurant question, and I'd add:

Chez Michel in the 11th - a bit out of the way but a great "find" and an up-and-coming place that the likes of us won't be able to get into in a year or two;
Le Sagittaire, in the 18th - very old- fashioned and charming - a lovely lunch stop if you're planning to visit Montmartre;
Chantairelle, in the 5th - ask for a table in the garden in back;
L'A.O.C., also in the 5th;
Le Buisson Ardent, mentioned in a post is always on our list but we never have made it there;
ALL-TIME FAVORITE: Le Trumilou, in the 1st, 4,Quai de l'Hotel de Ville. Short on decor but amazing in every other way - go for lunch as at dinner there are mainly Americans - at lunch you will find almost exclusively French. And get there at noon!

I very much agree with the member who suggested making reservations: it's always best to resevre even day-of, and even for lunch -the French will appreciate that you're thinking ahead, taking your food seriously (as you obviously are, given your research) and you will be treated better than if you are a "walk-in". For some places listed, such a L'Epi Dupin and Chez Michel, you might want to reserve in advance, i.e., from here before you go.

Bon voyage et bonne bouffe!

-msm4

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Just returned from Paris. Can second the recommendation for Il Caveau de L'Isle. I had a wonderful meal there my first day. But might I add Le Reminet to your list? That was THE meal of my trip, absolutely wonderful and not that far from Ile St. Louis. Trip report to follow this week, I'm still unpacking and getting over jetlag. You can find numerous discussions on Le Reminet here as this is where I found it. :-)

This has been such a helpful discussion! Thanks so much for your input.

Based on all your wonderful suggestions I am thinking...

first night: Le Christine or Fish (on the same street), depending on our mood after our plane lands:)

second night: Le Reminet or Atelier Maitre Albert (both in the 5th)

third night: Caveau de L'Isle (on Isle St. Louis)

All seem to be highly reviewed, within walking distance and in interesting areas for nightime.

msn4, thanks so much for your advice about Le Sagittaire in Montmarte...I am planning on touring the area around lunch one day and was wondering about a good restaurant in that area. We'll definitely check it out.

amyb, so glad to hear you had a great experience with both Caveau de L'Isle and La Reminet. I can't wait to read your trip report...hopefully you will post it before this upcoming Sunday!

Thanks!

Jennifer

I agree with those saying to take Le Vieux Bistro off your list--we too found it was just "good" and for Paris, that's not enough.

We love Le Grand Cafe--the decor alone is worth it--check it out at legrandcafe.com.

Have a great trip.

I can recommend Allard, Fish, and Caveau d'Isle. Also Brasserie Lipp (probably my favorite of these) but it is not what I would describe as very casual at all. Dress up if you want a good table, otherwise you'll likely be upstairs.

In regards to jennoo's post, Le Christine and Fish are NOT on the same street. Le Christine is on rue Christine and Fish is on rue de Seine. Chez Fernand and Le Christine are on the same street

Thanks jody! You're right...I was thinking of Chez Fernand:)

msm4,
I've looked at the menu of Chantairelle, and one dish sounds wonderful -- potatoes, ham, and Cantal cheese, but I have to ask... is the ham raw or cooked? In my limited experience, Auvergne ham is raw. When we went to Baracane, which we really enjoyed, they put Auvergne ham in the salads, and it was raw. I didn't eat it, but my husband did and pronounced it delicious :-)

Sandy

Chantairelle was just okay for me. The Auvergne cuisine also includes lots of lentils and my dish had just too much lentils for my liking. As for Chez Fernand I highly recommend the location on the rue Guisarde.

Btw, I agree all of those who advise scratching Le Vieux Bistro from your listing. When we ate there two years ago we were not pleased that the owner/server segregated the diners into locals and non-locals. But the best part was that we felt forced to order a bottle of wine. And he seemed impatient that we were taking so long trying to choose something not so pricey. I have read people's comments saying that Le Coupe Chou's food is awful. Well, it is not the best, however, Le Vieux Bistro's boeuf bourgignon (supposedly the best in Paris per one guidebook) was not any better than the one Le Coupe Chou serves. All in all we found Le Vieux Bistro to be overhyped.

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I now have so many bookmarks on eating in Paris I may explode when we get there, is there a three michelin star place that serves breakfast ;)

I forgot to mention that Allard is very chaotic and noisy if there are loud people talking, and if you don't manage to get an individual table you'll be sandwiched between the communal table and the banquette seating. But our small individual table was next to a little zinc bar the waitstaff uses to pass condiments, glasses, drinks, etc. to one another. So you get waiters pretty much on your back here and there. But the Bresse chicken was really good.

"As for Chez Fernand I highly recommend the location on the rue Guisarde"

but the one on rue Christine has a waiter that looks like Hugh Grant!!!and he's just as charming..We go several times each time we are in Paris and after our second visit have always been greeted by name and had a coupe de champagne or a kir sent to us

I actually had that ham, cheese and potato dish at Chantairelle. It wasn't quite what I expected. The ham was separate and there was a great cheesey potato concoction. The slices of ham were good. Not sure whether cooked or preserved in some other way. I think the best part of that meal was a tart of some kind that I had for dessert.

Sandypaws3,

Didnt get that dish, so can't comment. We really liked the atmosphere, hidden garden in the back, etc. and found that the food was serviceable. We were travelling with our daughter (age 11 at the time) and the fact that the place had a kids' menu and a garden were great pluses for us.

-msm4