I will be in Paris in Sept. with my daughter and her family.
We will be wanting family-friendly restaurants (that will have good steak-frites or
something that young kids might appreciate.)
Our hotel is near the Rodin Museum, and the kids want to see the Eiffel Tower on
Day one of our trip!
Any recommendations?

Merci!

There aren't many family-friendly restaurants in the area; they all tend to be a bit snooty. Hop on the Métro and go to Montparnasse (line 13) or the Latin Quarter (RER C) to find lots of restaurants where a family can eat in a casual atmosphere (including McDonald's, should you feel so inclined).

Go across the river from the tower to Trocadero and find an outdoor terrace. You can watch the tower sparkle from there. Cafe de l'Homme would be a perfect choice

I don't have an exact recommendation, but there are plenty of bistros in the area, no need to go to another part of the city!

Steak/frites and other simple dishes are more of a bistro offering anyway.

Liz

I never knew little kids that could even eat steak (frites, sure), I wouldn't have thought of that as a kid's dish. You'd have to cut it up for them, and a lot of cheap steak-frites deals in Paris cafes/bistros, are very fatty, tough cuts of steak (that's why they are cheap). Entrecote is usually like that.

I've eaten in the cafe near the Latour Mabourg metro (corner of Grenelle and bd Latour Mabourg)and there were some kids in there, they have a variety of dishes like any cafe would. It's name is escaping me, but something kind of common. You can't miss it, it's fairly large.

I do know one restaurant where they slice the steak up for you and that would be prefect, that is the Relais d'Entrecote group. They would like that, you get that steak and frites and one fixed low price (and all you can eat). Trouble is, there isn't one over in the 7th. The one I know is in MOntparnasse on bd Montparnasse around corner of Vavin. I didn't used to think much of them, but ate there in July and I think they have changed as the meat was good this time and I enjoyed it. As I recall, the last time I tried them a few years ago, the steak was not cut up, and it was extremelly fatty and tough so you hardly got any meat. It does have a sauce on it though, if your kids are picky eaters. I don't think you can order it without the sauce.

I do know the Montparnasse area better myself and could name some there, but I don't know the 7th that well. There are a lot of people on Fodors who like the 7th so I'm sure they will have more suggestions.

I totally agree that steak frites in Paris is the last dish I would order.
How old are these children? Actually children in Paris actually go to real restaurants and seem to do quite well.
There are brasseries on the corners of the Ecole Militaire metro stop. There is Cafe Marche on rue Cler. There is Bistro du 7eme on Blvd. Latour-Mauborg which is very reasonable and casual with good food.
There is the Auberge de Champ de Mars at 18 rue de l'Exposition which is actually where we saw a family sit down with their children at the adjoining table. When we were there the meal would be considered cheap. and it was good.

And obviously Anthony hasn't eaten much in the 7th--not snooty at all. Just pleasant and good food.

Since you used the term "family friendly" here is a google page of such.
http://www.google.com/#hl=en&source=...647a558c9dedeb

I wouldn't go near the Cafe Marche - gross. There are places all over between Les Invalides and the Tour Eiffel that are kid-friendly. That's where we always stayed and ate with our kids when they were little: Auberge Bressane, Pizza Tina, a Thai place right on Avenue Duquesne, Florimond, the places right on the Place Ecole Militaire, almost anywhere you look on avenue de Tourville, avenue Bosquet, Blvd. de la Tour Maubourg....places everywhere that are kid-friendly as long as your kids are reasonably well behaved.

Agree about steak-frites. Not a very kid-friendly dish IMO, but you'll have plenty of other choices.

StCirc has it right; I would add Bistrot du 7eme and Au Gros Caillou, where the menu comes in at around 10 Euros. Florimond has a lunch menu at 21 Euros. There are many cafes in the Ecole Militaire area; including the excellent Cafe Constant. Quite a few have a terrasse, which would be my choice with kids.

Another vote for Bistrot du 7eme

And another vote for Bistrot du 7ième. Although Pasco is my favorite in the area, but not with kids.

The place I was thinking of is La Source, which is about right across the street from Bistro du 7eme. I don't know that it's anything special or cheap, just a place around there I saw kids (and I thought the food was okay--it's open Sundays, also). I think their Croque Monsieurs are pretty good.

I was thinking about the steak that it is also just very hard to digest, as well as a lot of work to cut it up. Adults can drink wine to help digest it, but I don't eat meat like that so often, and sometimes if I have steak, my stomach will churn and be upset that night as it is so hard to digest. And the cheaper, tough cuts even more.

Thanks to everyone for your suggestions. I will certainly research the places mentioned - which helps sooooo much!
Gretchen - As for my grandkids and steak - I KNOW! The fatty kind would not be their favorite, but they LOVE a good rare steak (even though they are 6 and 9 year of age!!!)
Do you know of any other cuts(in French) that might be closer to what they might get here - and that might be available at a bistro, cafe or a restaurant? Is steak-frites always entrecote?
And - my granddaughters are well-behaved (although after lack of sleep due to a week's touring in London, who knows?) haha
Christina - I had forgotten about Croque Monsieurs. That's a great idea!
Oakglen - I have heard many people mention Florimond. Is that a little pricey?
StCirq - The pizza suggestion is obviously a good one.


Many thanks.

You will be able to buy crepes all over Paris which our grandkids loved. They also liked the baguette sandwiches on display in shop windows and would ask for those to bring back to the apartment.

La Source is a decent cafe; no pressure to order a full meal. If you just want to order a plate of frites, that's OK. Remember the cafe tiered pricing system; if you stand at the bar you pay the lowest price, and if you chose to sit at a table you pay more. These prices are required to be posted inside the cafe.
The Florimond menu for dinner is 35 Euros, plus supplements. Given the upper middleclass area, this is quite reasonable.
You might want to try the Croque Royale at Chez Flottes, in the 1st. They also have a Menu Enfant.

I ate at the Bistrot du 7em last trip, not overly expensive and good basic food. Easy walk to Seine from there.

La Source used to be one of our favorite spots with very high quality food. We were hugely disappointed last September. Hopefully, there's a new chef by now.

LaTour Maubourg, which is right across the street from La Source, is excellent, with low prices and continuous service.

Places such as Bistrot du 7eme, Le Florimand, Pasco, and other restaurants in the area require reservations and don't open for dinner until 7, 7:30 - which may be too late for dinner for young children.

I would agree that there aren't a lot of family dining places in the immediate vicinity of Musee Rodin.

Cafe de Grenelle is near the museum and is cheap and decent. Chez Francoise is also nearby and has a menu enfant at 11 Euros.

djk,
I did not make a reservation at the Bistrot. For a larger group, being a smaller place, yes.

And since most restaurants serve dinner after 7:30, they may need to look at brasseries, cafes,etc..