Paris

Best and worst restaurants:

Worst: La Varangue
Why: The food was really sub par; I wouldn't recommend this place to anyone. .

Victoria Van Wie in Cypress, TX USA 06/22/2008

Best: Cafe du Marche
Why: Best food in Rue Cler, and the best value for the money. Try the chicken I never knew it could be so good! We tried other places that were pricier but the food wasn't as good. Do expect it to be busy, crowded with very hardworking (i.e. not chatty) waiters.

Karen in San Diego, CA USA 06/09/2008

Best: None
Why: We just "flew by the seat of our pants"!

Michelle Kelly in Ft. Collins, CO USA 06/03/2008

Best: Le Tastevin, Cafe du Marche, Cafe Ulyses
Why: Le Tastevin was a cozy little restaurant with great ambiance, and the staff was very friendly! The food was AMAZING from start to finish - loved the whole experience! Cafe du Marche was a great outdoor cafe on Rue Cler that was the perfect spot for lunch. We had duck and chicken for lunch, and both were superb. It was great to sit among the locals in the bustling atmosphere, and look out on Rue Cler for some people watching! Cafe Ulyses has GREAT crepes! The owner was friendly and kept us laughing. I had a crepe with spicy, creamy cheese (Greek word that started with a T?) and it was to die for. The dessert crepe with bananas, Nutella and Grand Marnier was awesome as well!

Worst: La Bastoche, Ma Bourgogne
Why: La Bastoche was a very cute restaurant and the owners were very friendly. That's where the positive stopped. The couple next to us waited over an hour between their salad and main course. Luckily, our food didn't take quite so long, but when it did arrive it was pretty bland. We had to ask for bread, and the couple next to use never got the bread or wine they asked for! We decided to forgo dessert, as we had been there for 2 1/2 hours for salad and main course. I don't mind when it's our choice to be there that long, but when it takes that long for marginal food and we're starving, it was not a good experience! To be fair, we didn't actually eat at Ma Bourgogne. The interior was cheap looking, and we just didn't get a good feeling when we sat down. The menu did not contain Coq au Vin, as Rick's guidebook said. The menu items were all a little odd and not appealing, especially for the price. And we are NOT picky eaters - we will try anything once! The server was not friendly at all. Before we decided to leave, two other tables of people did the same after looking at the menu. They do not have the service, menu or ambiance to charge the prices they charge!

Nicki in Seattle, WA USA 05/23/2008

Best: L'as Falafal (not sure of the spelling, but it;s in the Marais and in the book)
Why: Great shwarmas and falafals. Good sign when all the locals eat there.

Worst: Dome - Beside the Hotel Sevigne
Why: My husband ordered a medium beer and they brought him a very large beer and charges him 18 euros.

Kate Buechler in Winnipeg, MB Canada 05/22/2008

Best: Chez Agnes, Rlue Cler area
Why: Fun!! A lovely meal in a very unique setting. We'd go again in a nano second!

Julie Pickup in Monee, IL USA 05/12/2008

Best: Pastry shops! Just pick one!
Why: Many we visited made simple sandwiches that were very affordable. We just added a drink and a pastry for a wonderful quick meal at a fraction of the cost at a cafe.

Worst: Indiana Tex-Mex Restaurant
Why: In need of a taste of home, we dipped into this restaurant and was bitterly disappointed. The tex-mex cooking had little flavor and my daughter's chicken was overcooked with no taste and difficult to chew. That's what we get for not eating french food when in France!

Julie McLendon in Alpharetta, GA USA 04/17/2008

Best: Cafe Marche, Ulyses
Why: Good food and GREAT people at Ulyses. We found a restaurant and an area that you migth like, the main street is Rue Passy and the street behind it (behind the mall, next to church)looks a lot like Rue Cler area, check it out.

Toni in Murrieta, CA USA 04/02/2008

Best: Savannah
Why: This restaurant, at 27 Rue Descartes just north of place de la Contrescarpe, is not in the book. In an area of mediocre food, this place stands out for its great Mediteranean fare. Have the chicken cooked with garlic and lemon and wash it all down with a Lebanese beer!

Gerry in Milwaukee, USA 03/30/2008

Best: La Terrasse du 7eme
Why: We ate here on our last night, and it was LOVELY. Cozy atmosphere, extremely friendly staff (and owner!) and the food was AMAZING. The owner came out and chatted with us for a while and it turns out he had lived in the U.S. when he was very young. This was a favorite because of the food, atmosphere, and friendly staff.

Peg Sewall in Lambertville, NJ USA 03/30/2008

Best: Cafe Bousquet near Rue Cler
Why: Amazing food, very attentive and friendly wait staff - our waitress actually came out on the street and said goodnight to people that she missed thanking while I paid the bill.

Howard Dellar in Aurora, On Canada 03/24/2008

Best: Tribeca on the Rue Cler
Why: Very good food. Very good service. Staff was helpful and accomodating of our very poor french. Good experience.

Deana in Burlington, ON Canada 03/18/2008

Best: The Brek
Why: The food was good and inexpensive. The service was a non-issue becuase of the cafeteria style. We ate here 3 times in 3 days!

Deana in Burlington, ON Canada 03/18/2008

Best: Restaurant Chez Pumeau, Montmartre
Why: Tasty, unhurried meal outside. We tried to speak French, they tried to speak English. Charming. Non smoking now in all restaurants.

Cheryl Dowdell in Charlestown, RI USA 02/08/2008

Best: Le Tastevin
Why: Our 10th visit to this superb restaurant. Always consistently excellent. Madame now knows us and greets us! The food is some of the best we have experienced in Paris!

William Botkin in Centennial, CO USA 01/28/2008

Best:
Why: All of the restaurants were good. They all had unique character and friendly, local service. They were accomodating for our infant even when she fussed.

John, Yvonne, and Kaytlin Galle-Bishop in Naples, Italy 01/24/2008

Worst: Cafe du Marche, rue Cler
Why: Post below should have been under "Worst"

Susan in San Francisco, Ca USA 01/06/2008

Best: Cafe du Marche, rue Cler
Why: I got food poisoning when I ate here and spent the last two days of my vacation on the bathroom floor.

Susan in San Francisco, Ca USA 01/06/2008

Best:
Why: Although we did cross check with your guide, we mostly referred to the Zagat guide for Paris restaurants and ended up in a few medium priced bistros that we very much enjoyed: Fontaine de Mars, near Eiffel being our favorite.

Todd Schmidt in Jonesboro, GA USA 01/06/2008

Best: La Bastoche
Why: Quite, small and quaint. Great onion soup and the scallops were very good.A nice evening.

Dan J Newbold in Kelowna B..C. , Canada 01/02/2008

Best: La Litote
Why: Another hearty recommendation for this "hidden" gem of the Rue Cler neighborhood. We saved La Litote as the venue of our last dinner in Paris on 12/29/2007 and was not disappointed. Excellent service, great food and a wonderful ambiance. Try the Lamb, it is awesome!

CoronaTraveller in Corona, CA USA 01/02/2008

Best: Restaurant La Litote, Rue Bosquet, Rue Cler neighborhood
Why: Rick recommends this restaurant and we agree. Small, intimate atmosphere; creative food and imaginative use of ingredients; beautiful presentation; extremely cordial service; the chef came out to greet us at the end of the meal. Easy to reach from our hotel (Relais Bosquet). Not an inexpensive meal but worth every (Euro) penny. Our picky friend from Manhattan loved it! Worth the metro ride if you are not staying in the Rue Cler area - only one block from the Ecole-Militaire station. If you have one night to splurge, make this your destination.

Worst: Ma Bourgogne
Why: Over-priced; meat was undercooked (ordered medium, arrive extremely rare); service was so-so with only one person waiting on all of the inside tables. I think they are resting on their rumpsteaks. For the same money, go to La Litote where they appreciate your business and the food is much better quality and much more imaginative.

Carole Loftin in Atlanta, GA USA 12/27/2007

Best: le Florimond
Why: No Smoking Perfect for a special occaision Great cuisine, excellent service Location near Eiffel Tower

Allan Gould in edmonton, AB CANADA 10/21/2007

Best: N/A
Why: We enjoyed Creperie Beaubourg and Cafe Beaubourg, both near the Pompidou. Thought they were mentioned in your book but don't see them now.

Chris and Mary Ray in Cincinnati, OH USA 10/15/2007

Best: Cafe du Marche
Why: Friendly staff despite the crowd, great location near my Rue Cler hotel, and excellent food -- the confit de canard made me want to cry with happiness. I had two dinners and several coffees there and was ready to move in.

Fawn in San Francisco, CA USA 10/14/2007

Worst: Bar Pit Brasseries in Rue Cler
Why: The waitress was awful and rude. The service was lousy and the food was not as listed. She is a true (and rare) example of a rude and nasty Parisian. I would not recommend going back there and there were other tourists from other places that I talked to that had the same experience.

Elle Couto in Longview, WA USA 10/05/2007

Best: La Palette Café and Nectarine Restaurant
Why: Good service and great locations

Albert in Clanton, AL USA 10/02/2007

Best: La Terrasse in Rue Cler area
Why: Extraordinary food and service. On a great corner for people watching. My daughter and I decided we must try different restaurants so ate here the first night and following morning. We next tried Cafe le Bosquet, which was just OK-back to La Terrasse the next night. Then we went to the Cafe du Marche and sat outside for 16 minutes after asking for a menu then left. Back to La Terrasse. All the waiters were incredible, friendly and good humored, the food every day was great. We spent the next 6 mornings and evenings there! The omelets were the fluffiest we've ever had, the french onion soup, broiled in the tourine,and every evening meal were so great. They really spoiled us. As we came in each evening, our table immediately had the carafe of wine and carafe of cold tap water, for us. On our last night, they brought two glasses of champagne and some lovely olive bread and other goodies as soon as we were seated. They truly earned our patronage!!

Virginia Lindsey in Sisters, OR USA 09/23/2007

Best: Cafe le Bosquet
Why: We met Nina, had the French Onion Soup and escargots and went back twice. Loved the atmosphere.

Nancy Kline in Mission Viejo, CA USA 09/18/2007

Worst: Comptoir de l'Arc
Why: I ate here with a friend last week and had a very nice experience. Good table in the covered outdoor patio and a friendly waitress, plus good filet of fish and mushroom souffle. Tonight, however, I took two relatives here for their anniversary dinner and was met by the rudest host I've ever come across in my life. We approached the front door (dressed very nicely - sport coats etc., no shorts or tennis shoes) only to be met by the Eurotrashy host (whose t-shirt had a picture of a handgun tucked into the waist). He stopped us on the doorstep and abruptly said if we didn't have reservations, the restaurant was booked except for the tables outside.

Had their seating policy suddenly changed in a week? Or are Tuesdays reservations only? Somehow I highly doubt that all the young French patrons there had reservations. Anyway, we went to take a seat at an open table in the covered outdoor patio area, but the host followed us and said those were reserved too. Given the way we were treated and the chilly night, we decided to have the anniversary dinner elsewhere.

Perhaps it's just one staff member with attitude, but it really ruined the mood on a special night and frankly was everything I thought was no longer true about Parisians and their reputation for rudeness.

I'm sure they'll still get tons of business but don't bother going if you want to be treated like you don't belong.

John in Paris (living here), USA 09/04/2007

Best: L'As du Falafel
Why: Just as delicious as the reviews said, though it's disappointing that it costs two extra euros just to sit down. But since it was pouring rain it was worth it. Fun atmosphere too.

Worst: Petite Brasserie PTT in Rue Cler
Why: The waitress laughed at our attempts at French with her friend and the bartender right in front of us. We were stunned and disappointed. It was our first day in Paris and not a great way to start off our vacation. The breakfast was also rather small and felt prepackaged. She tossed the croissants on the table and ignored us most of the time to talk to her friend at the bar. I would recommend anyone I knew to stay away from this place. There are brasseries all over Paris and this is not the one to go to.

Aimee in Oakland, CA USA 08/25/2007

Worst: La Rose de France, Place Dauphine
Why: Terrible waiter who refused to bring a glass of water with the tea I ordered, although Rick tells us this is illegal on p. 356. When we pointed this out, the waiter refused to serve us at all! Avoid this place at all costs.

Eugene Alcalay in Platteville, WI USA 08/13/2007

Best: Cafe du Marche and Ulysee en Gaule and Cafe le Bosquet
Why: All very convenient to Rue Cler neighborhood. The Cafe du Marche had excellent, huge, reasonably priced salads. The Ulysee en Gaule had great crepes that you could eat at the restaurant or to-go. The Cafe le Bosquet had the best french onion soup.

Devin Alexander in Olympia, WA USA 08/06/2007

Best: Loved Tribeca, L'A's du Falafel, Baker's Dozen, ate at Petit Brasserie every morning
Why: Also had the best quiche and loved the style of L'Ete en Pente Douce in Montmarte - definitely worth the walk down the stairs.

Liz Tanner in Provo, UT USA 07/30/2007

Best: Le Florimond & La Casa Compana
Why: My family of four had lunch at Le Florimond. Service was good and food was excellent. We were the only patrons for dinner at La Casa Compana (formerly Las Casa di Sergio). We were spoiled with many extras. Dinner was wonderful and a great price. A definite repeat and a nice change.

Maria Muylaert in Fort Smith, AR USA 07/26/2007

Best: La Marine
Why: Very convenient to Hotel de la Republique. (We had lots of rain.) The food was well-prepared. Loved the escargot!

Jack Klecka in Highland Park, IL USA 07/25/2007

Best: La Litote / Fontaine des Mars
Why: Fontaine des Mars serves classic French food perfectly cooked with excellent service and good atmosphere especially on the terrace.La Litote is something altogether different with an amazing chef using flavour combinations that are really wonderful and intriguing. Great personal friendly service here also. We ate there twice and it was really quiet - WHY? Because you are all inexpicably eating at Cafe du Marche. Why travel all that way to do something so predictable and average when just round the corner is this wonderful restaurant. La Litote - JUST GO!!

NEAL ATHERTON in PRESTON, England 07/25/2007

Best: Leo le Lion
Why: Found this restaurant last year and have been back several times, always an excellent dining experience with great food. Visted Paris for nine days this July, and went here twice. We also enjoyed Le Bosquet,Le Soufflot, and Le Grizzli.

Jim in Marietta, Ga USA 07/23/2007

Best: Cafe' Du March
Why: I took my son their for his 18th birthday celebration while we were in Paris. The staff was extremely friendly and attentive. The food was excellent and the atmosphere was beautiful. The neighborhood is bustling, but not overly crowded, so it was enjoyable to sit outside of the restaurant and observe the locals while enjoying our roated chicken and excellent wine.

Shelley Myers in Deer Park, TX USA 07/23/2007

Best: Comptoir de L'Arc
Why: excellent sourdough bread; good wine for reasonable prices; tasty food

W. B. in Los Angeles, CA USA 07/21/2007

Best: L'Enoteca (in the Marais)
Why: Picturesque setting, great food, and good service.

Debbie in Brooklyn, NY USA 07/07/2007

Best:
Why: Are there any bad cafes in Paris? We didn't find any.

Carol Arscott in Sarasota, FL USA 07/06/2007

Worst: Laduree
Why: Maybe for a coffee & pastry but dinner was not good & a limited selection for dessert, we were disappointed

Barbara Pearce in Freeport, NY USA 06/25/2007

Best: Café le Bosquet
Why: We thought Café le Bosquet was extremely underrated! They had much better food than Café du Marche… but maybe that’s just our opinion? The staff were really kind and helpful. The restaurant is situated on a nice corner near the Rue Cler Hotels, where you can people watch late in the evening as us you eat at a sidewalk table. The French onion soup at Café le Bosquet was the best I had in Paris – it was so good that I took a photo of it, and I swear I get hungry whenever I flip through my picture album.

Jenny and Alex in Portland, OR USA 06/04/2007

Best: Chez Agnes
Why: My boyfriend and I went on a 2-week trip to Europe last September and Chez Agnes was undoubtedly our best experience of the entire trip. It has been 9 months now, and we still talk about her regularly! We showed up the first night without reservations and the place was packed, so she instructed us to come the next night at 8 PM. We were a little scared of her to be quite frank (she’s small, but intimidating!) but showed up the next night based off of the reviews we had read on here. Chez Agnes ended up being the most personable, warm, enchanting person we met in all of Paris. Upon seeing us looking at her posted picture of Rick Steves, she busted out the scrapbook and started sharing stories with us. The experience of dining at Chez Agnes is kind of like being at your Grandma’s house. Chez Agnes kept coming out of the kitchen with things for us to sample, and essentially ended up sitting with us and talking for the majority of our meal and long after – she even posed with us for pictures. I cannot recommend this restaurant enough, and know this will be a memory of Paris that we will always treasure.

Jenny and Alex in Portland, OR USA 06/04/2007

Best: La Litote, Cafe Constant, Le Bosquet and Chez Pierrot
Why: This is my 4th trip to Paris. I stayed 4 nights and experienced 4 memorable dinners at Rick's recommended restaurants in the Rue Cler area. Good service, wonderful food (all different)with reasonable Paris prices.

Peter in Hamilton, NJ USA 05/29/2007

Best: Nectarine
Why: Beautiful location on the Place des Vosges. Excellent, relaxed service. Definitely try the Chocolatine dessert.

Angel in Chicago, IL USA 05/29/2007

Worst: Chez Agnes, Paris
Why: Poor reception & very ordinary food, reheated in microwave. I would not recommend. 05/2007

Peggy in Montreal, Qc Canada 05/24/2007

Best: Le Tastevin, Berthillon
Why: Former -- excellent langoustines and ambiance. Latter -- always wonderful, even waiting on line.

Karen Possner in Bethesda, MD USA 05/21/2007

Best: La Bastoche - Marais
Why: It was around the corner from our hotel in the Marais area. It offered a cozy atmosphere and great food. At home we rush through our meals and move on to the next thing. Not in Paris, where the food, wine and company is to be savored and enjoyed.

A word of caution when ordering steak, "medium well" means blood red in the middle.

Terri Kane in High Point, NC USA 05/20/2007

Best: Pizza Sant Antonio
Why: Our lunch there was so great one day, with very friendly service, that we decided to return the next day. The next day the same waiter recognized us, enthusiastically greeted us with a "Ca va?" as he shook our hands like we were old friends, and even brought us small glasses of Sangria as aperitifs! Such a nice place, and such wonderful staff! The food is fantastic too. They really do the "Rick Steves experience" justice.

Cat in Charlotte, NC USA 05/19/2007

Best: I liked La Terrace.
Why: Good food, open all hours, reasonably priced.

Mary Zikos in Princeton, NJ USA 05/17/2007

Best: Brasserie Thoumieux & Chez Janou
Why: First, in two trips to Europe (Paris in 2006, and Italy (Rome & Florence) in 2007), we've found all Rick Steves restaurant recommendations to be accurate -- and good! Looking through the various Paris restaurant comments here, I've seen none for two gems we found there -- Brasserie Thoumieux & Chez Janou. Having eaten at most all of those mentioned (Cafe du Marche, le Florimond, Tribeca, etc...), both Thoumieux and Janou stood out. Thoumieux serves classic French food (with a southern France flavor) -- like the best vinaigrette salad with foie gras, and a flawless, incredibly flavorful cassoulet with sausage and duck (enough to serve 2 -- if appetizers and desert are ordered). In addition, Thoumieux's classic brasserie ambience can't be beat! Finally, Rick is dead-on regarding Chez Janou (read his description)! My wife had perfectly cooked scallops on basil risotto and... we can't remember what I had (we visited in April 2006 -- and, maybe, the bottle of Rhone Blanc, or the after-meal pastis made us forgetful) -- but it was great too!

Ray & Terri in Bothell, WA USA 05/16/2007

Best: Chez Plumeau
Why: I had a lovely lunch on the terasse at Chez Plumeau. Wonderful duck confit, polite and prompt service, great location near the Dali museum on Montmatre. Unlike other readers, I had a good time at Cafe Du Marche on Rue Cler, but went for lunch and met all kinds of people.

Lachlan Cooke in Seattle, WA USA 05/14/2007

Best: La Falafel
Why: Good, fast, cheap, filling.

Swan in Napa, CA USA 05/13/2007

Best: Le Tribeca on Rue Cler
Why: Ambience and friendly staff. This was our last evening and it was relaxed and delicious. Also felt that the Bateau Parisian in the evening was the quintisential evening in Paris. Food and wine were excellent. Costly but definately worth it.

Stephen and Dorothy King in Palm Harbor, FL USA 05/11/2007

Best: once again all that we went to was great
Why: the ones that toni clark picked was tasty and the kir given before each meal has become a habit here at home. we on our own found some dining that was all french and little or no english and the meal was one of the best. please go off the path and try your chances,they will be the ones you will remember

Jerry DeWitt in franklin, tn USA 05/09/2007

Best: La Varangue (Phillipe's)
Why: Good food; friendly owner/chef took time to sit and chat with us while we dined. Highly recommended!

Worst: Disneyland Paris Village
Why: HORRIBLE food at high prices in Disney Village. Disney does a horrible job of imitating French versions of American food; it doesn't work.

Dale in Fairfield, OH USA 05/02/2007

Best: Le Soufflot
Why: The roast pork and glass of red wine I had there was wonderful. It also has a great view of the Pantheon. We also liked Cafe du Marche and Ulysee en Guale. I guess we were budget eaters and splurged on the Hotel.

Ken in Citrus Heights, CA USA 04/29/2007

Best: Chez Agnes
Why: It was a Sunday evening and many cafes were closed. We called and made a reservation at Chez Agnes in the Rue Cler area. It took us a little while to warm up to Agnes but your book warned about that. We had a wonderful meal and wound up being the last customers of the evening. We chatted with Agnes and saw her many pictures of Rick Steves and family having dinner there!

Larry Murr in Poulsbo, Wa USA 04/17/2007

Best: La Litote (24 rue Bosquet) rue Cler area
Why: This was a great experience. Food was great. The presentation of your food revealed the time and care that had gone into the preparation of your meal. The owner went way above and beyond to accommodate our party. Rick was right. Don't miss this one if you are in the rue Cler area.

RALPH in Southern Ilinois USA 04/15/2007

Worst: Le Cardinal
Why: I went to Le Cardinal last week while I was in Paris (3/2007). After having a couple of bites of my salad, I started to move things in the bowl around a bit and noticed what looked like a black olive. It turned out to be the rump side of a whole (thank goodness) dead mouse!

After showing it discretely to the waiter he said that I could have anything I wanted from the kitchen (how about a rabies shot?). I told him I had lost my appetite and just wanted to leave.

Even without the mouse, the salad wasn't anything out of the ordinary. You can do much better than this in Paris.

Rick Graham in Phoenix, AZ USA 04/04/2007

Best: Au Bourguignon due Maris
Why: Words cannot describe how wonderful our meal was. So good we went back again & again.

Joel Goldsmith in Atlanta, GA USA 04/04/2007

Best: Tribecca on Rue Cler
Why: Next door to Cafe du Marche. Excellent food, a small non-smoking section, helpful wait staff, reasonablly priced.

Worst: Cafe du Marche on Rue Cler
Why: Smoky, crowded, indifferent staff. Food's adequate. Felt like an outsider.

Gregg Maxwell in Grapevine, TX USA 03/22/2007

Best: La Varangue and Cafe Constant
Why: My wife and I ate at La Varangue and thoroughly enjoyed it. Not only was Philippe inviting, but his daughter was quite charming (she ate her dinner at our table and shared a little English poetry homework with us). While this is not 'haute cuisine' by any means, it is good food for a great value. Cafe Constant (on the same street as Varangue) was also an excellent restaurant that appeared to be a local favorite. Service was very attentive (and patient). Food was some of the best we had during our visit

Worst: Cafe du Marche
Why: I am surprised by all the positive reviews of this dump. We were overcharged on our wine, service was mediocre, and there were so many tourists here I virtually forgot I was in Paris.

Kirk in Chicago, IL USA 03/15/2007

Best: La Fontaine de Mars
Why: The food was wonderful. A great meal to celebrate the holidays.

Robert in Winston Salem, NC USA 03/07/2007

Best: Chez Pierrot
Why: Delicious food & good prices in a classic, atmospheric bistro setting in Rue Cler area. Also the waitress was very helpful with the menu and gracious. Even when I spilled a whole glass of wine, she provided me with another and refused to let me pay for both. I left a generous tip. Be aware though that service is not included in the bill here and they don't take Visa or Amer Express, only Mastercard.

Nina Duncan in Belmont, MA USA 02/27/2007

Best: La Litote on 24 Rue Bosquet 7th
Why: We got to Paris early on Friday evening, but way too late to get dinner reservations at the restaurant we had in mind. We quickly went through the options listed on Rick's book for restaurants or cafés in the Rue Cler area where we were staying. We decided to try our luck at a near by restaurant named La Litote. What a find. The restaurant is modern in style, though cozy and welcoming. Our 34€ menu dinner was simply superb, plus the great service we received, this was truly one of our dinner highlights during our stay in Paris. Definitely recommended even if you're not staying in the area, but if you are, Lo Litote is the new place to go to.

A Pazos in El Paso, TX USA 02/24/2007

Best: Le Florimond
Why: The food was fabulous and the service was outstanding. We got engaged there and Laurent Pascal gave us complimentary champagne! He also sends us Holiday cards every year! That's service!!

Marcie in Louisville, KY USA 02/19/2007

Best: The one Ben Franklin went to
Why: It was fun to have history.

Honestly, I rather enjoyed the pastry shop in the morning, inexpensive meals in the Latin Quarter at night. Lost ten pounds in France and did not mind at all.

Steve Marsh in Plano, TX USA 02/18/2007

Worst: La Varangue
Why: To me, Philippe was not the charming guy everyone else has experienced. The food was not very good and I was still so hungry: a piece of chicken with a tablespoon of mashed potatoes, and 2 pieces of lettuce for 12 euros. I asked for bread and he grudgingly brought me 2 tiny pieces. It was supposed to open at 5:30 which is when I arrived. It was open yet but I saw him behind the counter, and he saw me, and purposely disappeared until 5:50 when he came and opened the door. I was by myself, and the only customer, so I suppose he felt he could get away with being rude and serving 2nd rate food, to yet another Rick Steves customer, as there will always be more. And I tried hard to be nice, I even spoke French with him, to no avail. I would never go back!

Ellen in Melun, France 02/17/2007

Best: Bon Marche
Why: very good prices and excellent food

Ellen Bothwell in Melun, France 01/13/2007

Best: picnic
Why: Our best meals were the picnics we bought on the Rue Mouffetard on the way to the museum. Excellent tomatoes, cheeses, quiches, and sweet treats.

Wendy Jones in Bellingham, WA USA 01/08/2007

Best: Cafe deMarche' on Rue Cler
Why: The food was wonderful. Be sure to have the roast chicken and mashed potatoes. The people were better. Eat late!!! The crepe guy across from Hotel LeVeque makes a fabulous crepe to go. Walk to the Eiffel Tower with your crepe and watch the lights. Magnificent.

Debbie M in Plano, TX USA 01/06/2007

Worst: Cafe du Marche
Why: Please stop recommending this cafe, Rick. The food is middling at best and the prices are ridiculous for the poor quality of food. The menu needs to be updated and I must stress this again - the food is not very good at all - certainly by French standards and by any good cook's standards. Please stop recommending this restaurant.

JC in Edmonton, AB Canada 01/05/2007

Best: La Bastoche and Ma Bourgogne
Why: Both restaurants have great food. The waiter at La Bastoche was very friendly and the service was great. I highly recommend both of these restaurants.

Pete Teoh in Huntersville, NC USA 12/21/2006

Best: Chez Pierrot
Why: Helpful, friendly staff yet non-obtrusive. Great food!

Ann Slemmer in Show Low, Az USA 12/20/2006

Best: Le Florimond
Why: Le Florimond was wonderful - after 2 days of starving, from tons of walking and lots of restaurants closed due to the August Holiday, it was a fabulous eating experience. My napolean was a foot high and delicious! Laurent was friendly and helpful!

Jennifer in Philadelphia, PA USA 12/19/2006

Best: Other delightful eating experiences were at La LITOTE and La VARANGUE
Why: Litote's Elie told us some great stories and the food was presented in such gourmet style. It was an expensive (we didn't order the plates of the day) but very delicious dining experience. Varangue was a kitchen-like atmosphere,with good food. I enjoyed the duck,& the chocolate cake was yummy. While Phillip was not engaging,like some other travelers describe,it was interesting to watch Phillip's & his dtr. doing her school homework.

Barb Rose in Canton, MI USA 11/30/2006

Best: Chez Agnes
Why: The tiny restaurant was an entertainment experience with all the other guests,talking & eating together like family. Agnes is soooo sweet. She is a fantastic cook.

Worst: La Maison Rose in Monmartre
Why: Snotty waiter;travel book is correct-food not worth it,but the outdoor table was a nice spot to stop.

Barb Rose in Canton, Mi USA 11/30/2006

Best: Rose de France
Why: We stumbled across this recomendation after Rick's Historic Paris Walk. It is right down the street from the Conciergerie. The service and the food were some of the best we had. A charming place.

Brooke in Dallas, TX USA 11/29/2006

Best: La Varangue
Why: The friendly service from Phillipe and his daughter was very welcome after a long day of sightseeing. We enjoyed the escargot and the chocolate cake, just like Rick said we would! Pretty reasonably priced, for Paris.

Brooke in Dallas, TX USA 11/29/2006

Best: Cafe Marche
Why: After our first try for lunch, we kept going back. Unless we didn't have time to sit down for lunch, this is the only place we go to. Quite some American tourists there, and everyone has Rick's book. :D

Janet in Greenwich, CT USA 11/29/2006

Best: Cafe Marche
Why: Great food at a reasonable price. You know what you'll get.

Heather in New York, NY USA 11/29/2006

Best: Cafe du Marche
Why: Good food and inexpensive prices.

Elaine in San Francisco, CA USA 11/26/2006

Best: Cafe du Marche
Why: Their friendly staff that explained the menu without excessive eye rolling. The food was fantastic for the price. The restaurant's atmosphere was great.

Jason in San Francisco, CA USA 11/23/2006

Best: La Varangue
Why: Although we'd read about the famous Philippe of La Varangue in Rick Steve's book, we just happened on his cute restaruant one night. As we read the menu, Philippe came to the door and said "vous etre American. I love Americans." Inside, he asked if we had the 2007 Rick Steve guidebook. I comfired that we did; and, during a pause in cooking, he entertained the entire restaurant by reading his review. "Rick gave me 10 lines," Philippe said, "more than any other restaurant." The food was inexpensive (not "cheap") and much better than Rick's comment of "basic." Although frequented by Americans, La Varangue is thoroughly French and very friendly. Highly recommended.

Jim Mansfield in Costa Mesa, CA USA 11/17/2006

Best: I just stopped in a place that looked good along one of the walks.
Why: Did not find a bad or expensive locatioin - again, maybe lucky but all was great.

Franklin S Westbrook in Lebanon , TN USA 11/05/2006

Best: Cafe' du Marche'
Why: It was the only meal we thoroughly enjoyed in Paris. (except for the picnic we assembled, and ate under the lit Eiffel Tower). We are sorry we waited until the last night to try it. We would have eaten there every night. The chocolate muellete was delicious!

K. Zednick in Frankfort, IL USA 11/02/2006

Best: jardin de fleurs
Why: small, great street to walk on before & after meal. coureteous service, fresh ingredients, amazing selection for fixed menu--and can't beat the price!

Josephine in Redwood City, CA USA 11/01/2006

Best: La Varangue
Why: I just returned from 2 1/2 weeks in Paris with my parents and a friend. We had a fantastic time and stayed in the Rue Cler area.

We ate at La Varangue on our last night and we were sorry that we did not eat there earlier! We all enjoyed our meals and I loved what I ordered! Escargot as an appetizer and a puff pastry with chicken, mushrooms and sauce over mashed potatoes. We all split a piece of apple pie for dessert. It was my favorite meal in our entire time there. I would have gone there a few times if we had tried it earlier.

Prices are very reasonable, especially by Paris standards.

Kathy Talkin in Chicago, IL USA 10/24/2006

Best: L'Enoteca
Why: The food was wonderful and the prices very reasonable. Our waiter patiently described each dish to us in English and was incredibly helpful.

JRH in Austin, TX USA 10/20/2006

Best: La Litote, 24 rue Bosquet
Why: Just returned from 7 fun days in Paris and want to recommend La Litote Restaurant just off of Rue Cler. The address is 24 Rue Bosquet (not Avenue Bosquet)and the phone is 00145517882. They even have a website address: www.la-litote-paris.com. We went based on recommendations from the graffiti board--it was the best meal we had in Paris. The food, service, presentation, etc. was outstanding. Elie, our waiter, speaks great English and was quite pleased that so many Rick Steves'readers had written such nice things about him and the restaurant. The best part, though, is that the restaurant is non-smoking. The price is very reasonable for the quality of the food. Try the sea bass with avocado cream--outstanding!

Kathy in Dallas, TX USA 10/17/2006

Best: Le Florimond
Why: Exceptional French food and wonderful service. Reservations are a must. We were lucky to get a table outside just after a rain storm. It's overhang protected us from any drizzle. Later every table was packed.

Worst: Ulysee en Gaule
Why: We went here almost every night for dessert for their amazing crepes. Our granddaughter loved their fresh strawberry crepe with whipped cream. Our last night it had been raining and she wanted one last crepe. There were empty tables and no one waiting so we sat down and ordered her favorite crepe. They were fresh out of strawberries so we ordered her second favorite, lemon and sugar. He told us that we would have to leave and eat it outside because we were taking up a table - four of us and only one crepe ordered. There was not a soul waiting for the table. I thought he was rude, particularly since we had been regulars for five nights and we had ordered the strawberry crepe - the most expensive. It wasn't our fault he was out of strawberries! It was our only bad experience with people in France.

John E Stransky in Longmont, CO USA 10/17/2006

Best: Petite Brasserie PTT on Rue Cler; L'Ete en Pente Douce in Montmartre
Why: We loved our "American" breakfast every morning at Petite Brasserie and really enjoyed the owner. At 6 euroes each, it was a great deal. Someone said they didn't see the "Rick Steves'" discount. You just have to ask. We had a wonderful meal at L'Ete en Pente Douce in Montmartre as we escaped the crowds of Sacre-Coeur above. We had a fabulous quiche and salad.

Karen and Hal Phillips in Edgewood, WA USA 10/15/2006

Best: Cafe Constant and Les Fables de la Fontaine
Why: Both of these places, on Rue St. Dominique, are fantastic (I think only Cafe Constant is in the book, but they have the same owner-the Michelin starred Christian Constant-and are within a block of each other). The cafe's food is FAR better than your usual cafe-everything we had was fantastic. If the green bean and mushroom salad (haricot vert et champignon) is on the menu, order it, even though it sounds a little banal-it is out of this world. Les Fables focuses on seafood-I had the best scallops of my life there. The langoustine appetizer, fried in wonton skins and served with mango sauce, is to die for. Make a reservation for Les Fables-it is very small (they speak a bit of english, so calling and asking "parlez-vous anglais" should work fine).

Christy in Seattle, WA USA 10/13/2006

Best: outdoor cafes and bakeries in the morning
Why: They were all good and beautiful!!!THe waiters are mainly guys.... The bakery's which you can find only in the morning time are wonderful for breakfast, with great coffe/ expresso...don't worry you will walk if off! I lost weight in Paris.... I loved the Out door cafes,plus it was 85 degrees so why eat indoors? Some had live music, one near the Notre Dam Cathedral ( can't recall the name ) literally forced us in to eat there, all in a lighthearted manner of course and the food was fantastic, their salads are great and unusual.... always more than you can possibly eat...... They don't hurry you out, you can sit there forever, the waiters are surprised but pleased if you tip-- but tip the piano player --it's expected. I always ordered a bottle of the house wine. We even ate at a McDonalds in Paris, for shame!!!! there are a few of them, very busy and crowded!

Worst: I had no bad food in Paris.......
Why: Not kidding here..... it was great!!

Cindy Hause in Waverly, OH USA 10/10/2006

Best: Le P'tit Troquet
Why: The owner and waitstaff were so helpful and we felt that they cared about the quality of both the meal and the service. Fresh food with wonderful flavors.

Heather Pisani-Kristl in Norfolk, MA USA 10/10/2006

Best: Cafe le Bosquet
Why: Great food and service. We loved our waiter! Even though we were in a rush -- (we had to catch our overnight train to Italy, and we had not given ourselves much time for dinner) he was still super friendly and accommodated our urgent needs! The food was delicious!

Other than this restaurant, we had not utlized your book for eating. Thank you for the recommendation!

Melissa Bromby in Newburyport, MA USA 10/09/2006

Best: L'As du Falafel
Why: The 9 euro lunch special comes with a drink and provides a big, very good meal. Grab a table with a view of the street. Really enough food to share between two for light lunch.

Michael Dwyer in Rochester Hills, MI USA 10/08/2006

Best: La Varangue
Why: We discovered Philippe's restaurant (with the help of your guidebook) in 2004, near the end of our vacation. On this trip we ate at La Varangue on numerous occasions & we cannot adequately praise it. First & foremost: Philippe, his daughter, Marie, & his waitress, Lauren, are tremendous-we count them as friends & thank them all for enriching our visit to The City of Lights. The food was delicious; I particularly enjoyed the piping hot escargots, served traditionally with garlic & butter. The price of a meal? We were in & out, time & time again, well fed & well entertained, for approximately 50 Euros. We wish we were sitting down at one of your tables now. Please keep this restaurant in your book; Philippe deserves it.

Brian Lee in London, On Canada 10/01/2006

Best: Cafe le Bosquet and Tribeca
Why: Cafe le Bosquet looks great after renovation. The onion soup and lamb chops were wonderful and the attention we received from the staff was great!

We had a very friendly waitress at Tribeca. The beer went down well and the four cheese pizza was equal to Momma Maria's.

Worst: McDonald's
Why: Fast food in France is catching on. Ten times more McDonald's in France now than there was three years ago. The McDonald's food taste about as bad over there as it does here!

TIP!!!: When you receive your receipt there is a code at the bottom that will enable entry into the lavatories. Can't get in unless you input the code.

Furnacefighter in West Chester, PA USA 09/28/2006

Best: le Florimond
Why: Extremely attentive service, delicious food, and they even let my sister take a "doggy bag". It was clearly not something they ordinarily do, because the server disappeared in back for a while to ask the chef if he had a container for the rest of the stuffed cabbage. She returned with a Tupperware-like container, and insisted that my sister should take it, and not worry about returning it. Such helpful, accommodating service is reason enough to go back.

Worst: none
Why: They were all great!

Laura Wendt in Madison, WI USA 09/16/2006

Best: cafe du marche & ulysee en gaule
Why: Great value and delicious food in the Rue Cler neighborhood. Ulysee had the best crepes.

B. B. in Boonton, NJ USA 09/07/2006

Best: Tribecca
Why: It was very reasonable the food was excellent and the service was great as well.

Worst: Chez Agnes
Why: My mom got food poisoning....I just hope the other group that ate the same thing that she had did not get so sick. Also, although what I ordered on the menu was available the group that came in after us had a hard time because she did not have many of the items.

m hatch in speer, il USA 09/05/2006

Best: Cafe du Marche
Why: On Rue Cler, great food at a great price. I wish we had eaten here earlier in our vacation as we would have returned for another meal.

Susan Healy-Mills in Barrington, RI USA 08/20/2006

Worst: Food in general
Why: Please follow Rick's advice on restaurants. Our experience with French food was abysmal except for the delights we picked up along the Rue Cler.

Marsha Hudson in Seattle, WA USA 08/04/2006

Best: La Fontaine de Mars
Why: We went here for my birthday. They had reserved a romantic table for us in the corner upstairs. The food was delicious and the atmosphere charming. I would recommend that you call a day or two ahead for a reservation.

Lisa Valle IL USA 08/01/2006

Best: More feedback on the Polidor
Why: After I posted my message I saw that Derek had listed the Polidor as a "worst" recommendation. A brief explanation: 1) The restaurant puts out a carafe for each table, not for each group. You're expected to share the carafe with your neighbors. We shared with our neighbors and the carafe was immediately refilled several times as soon as it was anywhere close to being empty. 2) You asked for a cafe d'eau. That would be a "water coffee". At best your server was probably confused. You wanted "un caraf d'eau".

Chris Dayton in Monroe, WA USA 07/31/2006

Best: Polidor - 6th arrondisement Rue Monsieur Le Prince
Why: To be honest, I don't remember if this restaurant was recommended or not. If not, it should be! Far enough away from the Seine to get away from the main tourist crowd. The food was fabulous! Service was not exactly warm and inviting, but it wasn't rude either....let's call it efficient. (Well air conditioned as well if you visit in summer, but no credit cards, cash only!)

My wife and I ate here on our last evening in Paris and we left feeling refreshed and reminded again of the beauty and magic of Paris.

Chris Dayton in Monroe, WA USA 07/31/2006

Worst: La Varangue
Why: Food was ok. BUT, service from owner Phillipe was terrible!!! He was unfriendly and seem to be bothered that he had to work. He was not cordial to any of the patrons in his small resturant. There was never a thank you expressed and seem disgusted. Maybe, he was having a bad day. I have never seen an owner treat patrons so rudely. We did nothing to bring out such hostility. Other readers have said this was a good resturant and that's why we tried it, but were very disappointed.

Bob in san mateo, ca USA 07/31/2006

Best: Cafe Du Marche
Why: Cafe Du Marche was fantastic. A good sign that a place is good is when the place is packed with locals. The Duck Confit was excellent. Very reasonably priced.

Worst: Restaurant Polidor
Why: Food was okay at best. To make matters worse, the service was atrocious. I know that restaurant "service" in France may be a bit different to that one normally encounters in the US, this was over the top ridiculous (and I normally am very tolerant and accepting of mediocre service). I had asked for "Cafe D'eau" 3 times and got nothing... So we sat their like fools eating our entire meal without water until the patrons next to us had mercy and shared their caraffe.

Derek in Brookline, MA USA 07/23/2006

Worst: Cafe du Marche
Why: Although the location is ideal for those staying in the Rue Cler neighborhood, our dinner was marginal at best and our order was incorrect. Cafe le Bosquet is a better choice.

T. Koons in Forest, VA USA 07/22/2006

Worst: La Boeuf a la Mode
Why: Had a great day at Versailles only to get caught in a downpour as I was heading to the train station. Decided to stay and have dinner in the town. I arrived a few minutes after their posted opening time and was told to wait outside until they were ready. It was pouring down rain! Luckily it was only a couple of minutes. I was treated like a major inconvenience. After ordering a glass of wine, I noticed (the check stayed on the table through out the meal)that I had been charged for a large carafe. The same occured with the bottled water. Received a small bottle, was charged for a large. The manager? did correct the bill without a single word. The meal was the worst I had in France. Obviously their terms for cuts of meat must be different from mine. In all 35 years that I have owned or managed restaurants, I have never seen such a poor cut of beef called a filet. I also paid extra for a Morel sauce that was completely tasteless. The meals that I had at Le Charlain, Le Cardinal, and Le Petit Canard were excellent and I found the service to be of high caliber and very friendly. Only at La Boeuf a la Mode did the normally high quality of French restaurants let me down.

R.W. Seney in Leesburg, Fl USA 07/05/2006

Worst: Restaurant Polidor
Why: The "steak" I ordered well-done was absolutely inedible. Not only was it rare, it could not be cut with a knife, let alone my teeth. The worst cut of meat I've ever had, ANYWHERE!

James Byland in Brentwood, TN USA 07/03/2006

Best: Ulysee en Gaule and Petite Brasserie PTT
Why: The crepes served out on the street at Ulysee en Gaule were SO good, and the restaurant owner made us feel so welcome.

We never found the "American Breakfast" deal listed in the book at Petite Brasserie PTT, but the omelettes were great. Just don't ask for breakfast before 8:00 because the cook doesn't show up until then

Worst: Cafe Le Bosquet
Why: All of the food served to us was burnt, and this particular street restaurant was quite a bit more expensive than the others we visited

David Patlovany in Houston, Te USA 07/02/2006

Worst: Cafe du Marche
Why: Good location, but worst meal in four days in Paris; I had the salad with chicken and the chicken was inedible -- hard as a rock, left it in a pile on my plate. I was so disappointed. I would have mentioned it to my waitress, but there was a switch halfway through .... and they probably wouldn't have cared anyway.

Hille Wingrove in Neenah, WI USA 07/01/2006

Best: Cafe du Marche
Why: Very local, nice atmosphere, good food

Lauren Mitchell in Dallas, TX USA 06/29/2006

Worst: Cafe du Marche
Why: Not worst actually as far as location. Just had a bad waiter. Wouldn't let us sit where we wanted. Charged us for something we did not order. I suppose anyone can get that even in the states. I do have one question about their menues all over. One of the meat offerings is a steak of sorts, and it is the toughest piece of meat I have ever tryed to eat-anywhere, US or there. Do they eat that themselves?

Burke & Bev Campbell in St Louis, MO USA 06/23/2006

Best: Cafe du Marche
Why: We have had several meals at this cafe during previous trips and our most recent trip. Prices are great, and food quality is excellent. There are plenty of Rick Steves books around, but a strong local clientele rules. We also tried Tribeca next to Cafe du Marche, which seems to have the same ownership and is also quite good.

Brad Schaaf in Alpharetta, GA USA 06/14/2006

Best: Chez Janou
Why: Best meal in all between Bruges (Hobbit was 2nd best), Amsterdam, Brussels, Cologne, and Bacharach and two weeks. No tourists, walked up to the bartender and asked about a table on a Friday night, and he said 30 minutes, we ordered wine, got a table, and wonderful, upscale looking, but good portions, and tasty.

Deneen Clarke in Minneapolis, MN USA 06/12/2006

Best: Le Biniou
Why: Address: 3, avenue du Général Leclerc. Fantastic creperie! I've only been here once, but I'm definitely going to go back. The prices are reasonable, the whole restaurant is non-smoking, and the food is excellent. I believe they have English menus, too. The dessert crepe called "La Duchesse Anne" is gorgeous and tasty. [métro: Denfert Rochereau]

Amy Roust in Paris, France 06/08/2006

Best: La Boef a la Mode
Why: My husband loved this place!

CAO in Redwood Shores, CA USA 06/03/2006

Best: La Fontaine de Mars
Why: Excellent food with fabulous service. A genuine French place, with waiters who speak English with a smile.

Elisabeth Bier in Milwaukee, WI USA 05/30/2006

Best: Cafe Ecole Militaire
Why: We decided Cafe du Marche was too smokey and the menu they gave us didn't have much to offer. We stepped literally around the corner and found this wonderful, reasonably-priced restaurant that specializes in seafood. The waiter wanted to know where the rest of the Americans were! Also, if any one is forced to wait/eat at Gare du Nord, the Brasserie Alize has very good food.It is upstairs in the terminal.

Worst: Cafe du Marche
Why: The staff was very pleasant, but the menu choices were limited and it was filled with smoke. For a few steps more, you can eat at Cafe Ecole Militaire.

Patty O'Grady in Steilacoom, WA USA 05/29/2006

Best: Le Basilic
Why: 2 rue Casimir, 7th. Excellent food; warm, friendly staff with a sense of humor. We still don't know what we ate (I know I had veal!), but it was delicious. They do speak excellent English. You could tell they cared about the wine we ordered, but weren't snobs about our choice. Great place!

Patty O'Grady in Steilacoom, wa USA 05/29/2006

Best: (1)L'Ete en Pente Douce on Rue Muller, (2)Camille on Rue Elzevir, (3)Le Soufflot on Rue Soufflot, (4)Cafe Med near Notre-Dame (excellent lunch).
Why: Good food and ambience; prices somewhat reasonable.

John Fay in Wheaton, MD USA 05/29/2006

Best: Pizza Tina
Why: We went because others recommended. One of the best Italian meals I've had. Rick, put it in the book! It's right on Avenue Bosquet very near Ecole Militaire Metro stop.

Worst: Bistro B
Why: Nearly right next to Pizza Tina. Lousy service. The first time I've ever walked out of a restaurant. Tables that were seated 20 minutes after us and ordering the same thing as we did received their meals before us. It seemed they catered to the locals before the tourists.

Barbara Murphy in Carpentersville, IL USA 05/27/2006

Best: Le Florimond
Why: Excellent - especially the stuffed cabbage. However, reservations are needed top sit inside.

Jay Meisner in Riverdale, NY USA 05/26/2006

Best: Pasco
Why: I never felt so comfortable, and the food was wonderful. I was treated like a friend (despite my limited French) and was happy to spend a little more for such a pleasant meal. Try the canard pate.

John Vosburgh in Tempe, AZ USA 05/17/2006

Best: Le Florimond
Why: In the rue cler area, at 19 Avenue de La Motte Piquet. Small, all no-smoking restaraunt with excelent stuffed cabbage and super fresh fish. Chef owned. 32 euro for 3 course dinner menu. Reserve a day or 2 in advance.

ken in san francisco, ca USA 05/16/2006

Worst: Bouillon Chartier
Why: I've seen this restaurant recommended in every guidebook I've used during 4 previous trips to Paris, but never visited. This time, with my group in tow, we trekked a couple miles for a decidedly mediocre meal. Three of us ordered the chef's recommended special: poulard avec riz et sauce supreme. Within 5 minutes we were served plates with a large skinless chicken breast with a meatless wing bone standing askew like an island admidst the off-white "sauce" poured over the breast... the sauce was closer to a peculiarly unseasoned, overly starched pale gravy. Also on the plate a large scoop of plain rice. The monochromatic scheme was broken with a piece of parsley. And permettez moi to translate the dessert menu: Mousse au chocolat = canned chocolate pudding (is there a Costco in Paris?); Compote de pomme = very small serving of applesauce; Double boule de glace: a dixie cup! (I'm not kidding!) My 84 year old uncle said it was the best meal he had in Paris.. he misses my aunt's cooking. The rest of us were underwhelmed. And my nephew did make this humorous comment: Paris--the only city where you can get a whole pot of coffee in a tiny cup.

Our best meal was at La Souffle where we had a great time with the friendly staff.

Rhona Frank in Glen Arm, MD USA 05/16/2006

Best: Chez Agnes
Why: My wife and I wandered across this restaurant at about 2130 on a weekday evening. We had read about Chez Agnes so many times, but never ventured there in our past two trips to Paris. This time we thought, why not? We politely asked Agnes if we could eat there, given the late hour and the empty tables. She had been sitting in conversation with a younger woman who wished us Bon Appetit and left so that Agnes could wait on us. We ordered from the menu. My wife had beef and I had pork, along with terrific entrees and warm apple pie with ice cream for dessert. We were pleased with the 23 Euro menu and the very reasonably priced bottle of wine ordered with our dinner. Agnes was like having your Grandmother cooking for you. She tried to find dinner music to our liking on her radio while she cooked. We were disappointed that we could not actually watch her in the kitchen. We often heard the microwave being used. Now we think back to Agnes and her magic microwave, because what she prepared for us was simply one of the best meals we ate in our 10-day stay in Paris. We told her so too! She proudly showed us the scrapbook she keeps with reviews of the restaurant from Rick Steves readers, and she showed off her picture with Rick. After dinner, she brought us a shot of rum with our cafe. Then, she sat with us for over an hour to chat about the difference in lifestyles between the French and the Americans, politics in both countries, war and military issues, taxes, oil, the rich versus the poor, traffic, vacations, and how Americans sometimes order Coca Cola with their meals in her restaurant. We also joked about how my wife would become the American President someday! All of this chatter between two Americans with limited French and Agnes with limited English. Somehow we were all able to understand. When we left for the evening, Agnes gave us a parting gift and lots of kisses. Of course, we gave our condolences for Gypsy. She truly touched us with the idea that she lost such a good friend and companion. It was such a fabulous experience that my wife and I decided to skip our plan for a nightcap near our hotel, and ended the evening with the memory of Agnes' hospitality and her magic microwave! We almost offered to help with the dishes. We will be certain to visit with Agnes again on a future trip to Paris.

Jim R. & "Madame President" in Oconomowoc, WI USA 05/14/2006

Best: Chez Agnes
Why: Personl service, friendly....great food, reasonable price.

Sara in Redwood Falls, MN USA 05/09/2006

Best: Chez Agnes
Why: This was a true delight. One of my tour members and I decided to eat there following personal recommendations from other tour members. What we hadn't expected was it to be an entire night's entertainment as well!! Agnes and her little dog were wonderful. At first she pretended to be offended that we hadn't made reservations, but it turned out to be part of the entertainment. The entire restaurant was filled with Rick Steves' travellers!!! Two couples from Seattle, one from Portland, and two women from NYC, as well as an elderly French woman. I worked hard to make conversation with this woman whose English was very limited. The New York women were fantastically friendly and the night became a night of shared food, wine, laughs, and hugs. I took lots of pictures of Agnes and some with me. I later found out her little dog had died, and I had photos of Gypsy to send her in commiseration. I felt I really connected with Paris that special night.

Carolyn Wolfe in Boise, ID USA 05/09/2006

Best: Cafe du Marche
Why: Friendly, great location, good but simple and reasonably priced plats du jour.

Liz Goldberg in Hyattsville, MD USA 04/27/2006

Best: Cafe du Marche
Why: Best food bargain we found.

Worst: La Varangue
Why: Contrary to the book, it's not cheap. We ordered the Pasta Bolonasse off the black board, all we got was a small cereal size bowl of penne pasta with cream sauce, with a few microscopic pieces of ham, for 12 euros. It couldn't have cost more than 1 euro to make. No bread, salad or even water with the pasta.

Don S in Franklin, Mi USA 04/26/2006

Best: Cafe Terrasse on ccorner of Rue Bosquets and Motte-Piquet
Why: Went to 2nd floor to be away from the smoking area, sat by one of the big picture windows for a nice view of Ecole Militare. Quiet, comfortable, relaxed atmosphere, plenty of room. Wine and food was wonderful, reasonably priced.

Dale Dunford in Kent, WA USA 04/21/2006

Best: BHV Department Store
Why: I was pregnant and they had lots of choices I could see before I bought!

Worst: None
Why: How could anyone say food in Paris was bad?????

Patty Hendrickson in Portland, OR USA 04/13/2006

Worst: Altitude 95
Why: Perhaps we caught our waiter on a bad night, but he was not friendly. He brought one of our party the wrong order, and then informed us that the kitchen was closed, so we had no alternative but to accept it. Of the restaurants we visited in Paris, this one was the only disappointment. If you go to the 2100 sitting, you will not have enough time to go up the tower after dinner. It closes at 2300 and dinner will last more than 2 hours.

John Allen in raleigh, NC USA 04/09/2006

Best: Pizza Tina
Why: Though not in Rick's book it should be. Right in the Rue Cler and handy to recommended hotels they serve wonderful pizzas and pastas in huge portions at rock bottom (for Paris) prices. Italian staff and in particular Salvatore will make you feel at home, a welcome change from the stiff and formal atmosphere at many Paris cafes. If you've had your fill of bistro food and feel like something different try Pizza Tina.

J.D. D'Amico in Orlando, FL USA 03/28/2006

Best: Many Rick Steves' Recommendations
Why: We just returned from Paris, and used the Rick teves' book to select many of our restaurants. They were consistently good food and value.

LE TASTEVIN - A little splurge, but worth it. On Ile St. Louis. This was a charming place, exactly what I would expect in a French restaurant. They had several fixed price dinners, ranging from 33 Euros to 69 Euros. We stuck with the lower priced one, and still had a great meal and bottle of wine for about 98 Euros. Service was impeccable. The owners were very kind and helpful. When my husband ordered what we thought was veal, she gently asked if he was a fan of kidneys. We were a bit embarrassed, but laughed, and he quickly changed his order to fish. Highly recommend selecting the homemade soups for a starter. The langostino bisque and the pureed vegetable soup were delicious. The desserts were wonderful - a Grand Marnier souffle and a tart tartine with caramel sauce.

CAFE MED - Great food, location, and value Also on Ile St. Louis. More casual and less expensive that Tastevin, but equally good value. Very small, with seating for only about 25. The interior is charming and very fresh. They posted set menus from 13-20 Euros. My husband and I each had a fresh green salad with smoked salmon for an entree, a generous plate of spagetti carabonara, and a carafe of wine. The bill was 45 Euros.

PERRAUDIN - Around the corner from Pantheon This was another cozy and charming restaurant. Their beef bourguignonne was a house specialty and was outstanding. They had a nice affordable wine selection and excellent desserts. While there were some Americans, it was full of local french.

TERRA NOIRE - Italian near the Pantheon This was a very small and cozy Italian restaurant one block from the Pantheon. They had some excellent specialities that night, including rissoto fruits de mars. We opted for the penne siciliano, which included roasted eggplant, tomatoes, olives, and basil. It was wonderful, and not too heavy. They offered fresh sliced strawberries and mint as a light dessert.

Worst: Rue Mouffetard Restaurants
Why: We opted for one of these on a rainy night when we didn't want to venture far from our hotel. While some of these local restaurants may be good, the one we chose was just terrible. My coq au vin was definitely not chicken, and the creme brulee was actually grainy (I don't know how they managed that). The whole dinner was essentially inedible. I don't remember the name, but I think the results in this area might be very hit or miss.

Beth in Canton, MI USA 03/27/2006

Best: Tribeca
Why: This restaueant is around the corner from the Hotel du Champ de Mars and by Cafe du Marche. The food is wonderful, the waitresses try to explain anything you don't understand. We went there 4 times for dinner and each had something different each time. Every dish was good. They had Corona beer which my husband loved and great desserts

Lisa Roccaforte in Groves, Te USA 03/21/2006

Best: McDonalds on the Champs Elysses
Why: Great for a family with kids; great place to people watch and stay warm in winter.

Worst: Rue du Cler restaurants
Why: Closed Sun, Mon in winter.

Ken Cardona in Santa Clara, CA USA 03/14/2006

Best: Varangue
Why: I apologize if I've mis-spelled the restaurant, but it was the best food (basic, but delicious) and the best value we (myself, wife, and 2 friends) found during our 6-night stay. Phillipe (the owner-chef-waiter-busboy) was great in every sense and very personable. We ate there TWICE -- including our very last night. I can't think of a better compliment.

AJ Butler in Atlanta, GA USA 03/13/2006

Best: Tribeca
Why: Posh eatery on Rue Cler. Don't think this restaurant was recommended, but we ate here for lunch. No english menus, but the waitress was happy to translate. We ended up each ordering a pizza...WOW! They were HUGE. Next time we'll share and put that 12euro towards dessert. Try the 4 cheese pizza.

Eric in APO, AE USA 03/10/2006

Best: La Varangue - Philippe's Restaurant
Why: Truly a Paris gem. Philippe is a thoroughly enjoyable host and he offers excellent food at a great value. We ate there three nights, each night there were different choices on the menu and all were wonderful. We look forward to eating at Philippe's several times on our next trip to Paris.

Worst: Cafe du Marche
Why: Very smokey, indifferent service and food, and a table where our daughter's feet were in the gutter - a problem since it was raining quite hard.

Marilyn Kuray in North Potomac, MD United States 03/06/2006

Best: Bofinger, LaCoupole and LeSelect
Why: Very friendly, great food.

Susann Gross in Hummelstown, PA USA 02/25/2006

Best: Cafe Du Marche
Why: wonderful salads, great service

Tara Baetz in Kingston, ON Canada 02/23/2006

Best: Leo et Lion
Why: Food was excellent. The setting was intimate, but we felt that we were in a favorite local restaurant. So many customers were known by the owners. Just the atmosphere we were looking for; not a tourist around (except for us).

West & Carrie Jacocks in Sumter, SC USA 02/21/2006

Best: Le Grand Colbert (rue Vivienne)
Why: There's a lot of hype surrounding this restaurant so naturally, expectations are high. The food is above average, the portions are HUGE (the lentil salad came in a bowl with enough to serve 4 and that was only the starter), and the waiters are slighly rushed and abrupt. It's a busy place and on the night we went, there were plenty of diners. But none of that kept me from enjoying my dinner. The ambience is superb and that's part of what you pay for. The lighting in this restaurant is expecially flattering to women - it gives our skin a really warm glow even after your makeup is worn off from touring all day. About the food, I especially liked my salmon in sorel sauce and after tasting hubby's lamb with dauphinois potatoes, I could've eaten that too. It's hard to cook lamb perfectly but they did it. For dessert, the sorbet was perfect and light or if you want something a little stronger, baba rum is also pretty good. They also have THE BEST coffee and the waiters keep coming back to make sure you're okay, a little unusual for Paris restaurants but extra nice.

Worst: Le Dome (in Blvd Montparnasse)
Why: Despite all this restaurant's great reviews, I had the absolute worst piece of beef in this restaurant - stringy, overcooked and inedible. I realize this place is more famous for it's fish dishes so I probably should've ordered a seafood plate instead. But the coffee tasted burnt as well, the waiter didn't give me any sugar after I asked twice and even though the restaurant was half empty during our meal, I couldn't get a waiter's attention unless I stood up and waved my arm at him. This is the only restaurant in Paris I've ever had problems with so I'll probably give it another try, perhaps for lunch next time. I think my bad experience was the exception.

Minnie in Huachuca City, AZ USA 01/09/2006

Best: La Varangue, Cafe Le Bosquet and a small Greek cafe on the Rue Cler
Why: Great food. Personal service. All chefs and/or owners signed my guidebook and said, "Ah ,Rick Steves! He's my friend!"

Pat Fostvedt-Oxendale in Ida Grove, IA USA 01/02/2006