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Dining and Drinking, Paris
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Paris Tourist Traps: Dining and Drinking tips and photos posted by real travelers and Paris locals.
Dining and Drinking
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Paris Dining and Drinking ReviewsTips 1 - 10 of 37  
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Dining and Drinking: Opa!
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  • Updated By Ciambella on February 20, 2006
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  • Dining and Drinking - Paris
    by Ciambella
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    Those Greek guys in the Latin Quarter seem to be a bunch of fun chaps with whom I would not mind hanging out. They stand in front of their restaurants 8 hours a day, breaking plates left and right as if pottery grows on tree. Periodically, they burst out to a chorus of "Opa!" (Roughly translated: "Here comes another unsuspecting tourist with an indiscriminating palate; let's celebrate their shortcomings!").

    The food is mediocre at best, the price is high, and the décor is straight out of What To Do With Thrift Shop Leftovers. After 30 minutes of getting your fingers smelly with cheap food and asking yourself why on earth you ended up here, you leave the restaurant feeling foolish. (OK, so perhaps feeling foolish is not that big of a deal to some of us, but do we really need to pay hard-earned money for the experience?)

    If you truly want Greek food, find it where there is no human bait and broken plates at the front door. Either that or go to those take out gyro places -- it is not the best Greek quality, but it is not going to cause any damage to your budget or your pride either.

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    Dining and Drinking: Marmottan Tourist Trap
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  • Updated By BeatChick on August 30, 2005
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  • La Rotonde de la Muette - Paris
    La Rotonde de la Muette
    by BeatChick
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    La Rotonde de la Muette
    12, chaussée de la Muette, Paris 75016

    Don't get sucked into eating at this restaurant in the 16th arrondissement just because it's convenient to the Marmottan! Although it's listed on one of my new favorite Paris websites, Philocafés, the food was just "okay" and I couldn't highly recommend it. I made the mistake of assuming this was like the historic café in Montparnasse, La Rotonde, which goes to show you where assumptions will take you.

    I'm not one who expects to get chummy with her servers and expect an aloof yet professional staff but the personnel here was rather distant, both physically & personality-wise. Because it is near the Musée Marmottan, out in the 16th arrondissement so I thought it would be a safe bet, meaning out of the touristy sections, but I was wrong.

    Out of three trips to Paris, this is only one of two places with which I've ever been dissatisfied.

    For 31.50€ I had a Filet de "bœuf de Cantal" grillé (grilled fillet of beef from the Cantal region)(with frites) and a fromage blanc au miel (white cheese with honey) accompanied by a 1/2 carafe of the house wine. Not bad but for that price I've had better.

    Photo Credit: Pages Jaunes

    Go to the Musée Marmottan. Too bad they don't have a café on-site like the Louvre, the d'Orsay or the Centre Pompidou.

    It seems like all the good restaurants in the 16th are north of Palais de Chaillot so if you find yourself in this area pick up a sandwich (and some macarons) at Boulangerie Paul, located at 44 rue l'Annonciation, about a block or 2 past La Muette Métro station.

    Or if you're on your way to la Tour Eiffel after this little jaunt then go to one of my fave small not-well-known restos, Restaurant Chez Ribe at 15 avenue Suffren, 5 minutes south from La Tour.

    Photo: August 2005

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    Dining and Drinking: A wise tourist at the restaurant
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  • Updated By GUYON on August 24, 2006
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  • Restaurant near les Halles - Paris
    Restaurant near les Halles
    by GUYON, 2 more photos
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    At the restaurant, the menu has a fixed price including the dishes and the tip but NOT the beverage. If you ask for water, the waiter will bring you a bottle of water (still or sparkling) which will be added to the bill.

    2 sentences can help you to save some money :
    1) 'Avec une carafe d'eau s'il vous plait' (with a carafe of water, please)
    and when the waiter come back with the meal,

    2) 'Excusez-moi, vous avez oublié la carafe d'eau' (I apologize, you forgot the carafe of water).
    The 'carafe d'eau'' is free (the refill too) and they are reluctant to supply it.

    No. You cannot bring your own bottle of wine. Sorry.

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    Dining and Drinking: Restaurant bills
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  • Updated By Helga67 on April 25, 2004
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  • Montmartre - Paris
    Montmartre
    by Helga67
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    Check your bill!!! Make sure that you know in advance what you need to pay.

    During our 2-day stay in Paris, 4 times our bill was inaccurate. This made us feel like they were doing it on purpose. Is it because we were tourists or because we were a bigger group, I don't know, but I no longer trust the Parisians.

    What happened?
    Every time, there was one item that was not correct. E.g. we ordered soup of the day, and they charged us fish soup, 1 EUR more, we ordered sandwich with cheese and were charged sandwich with tunna, 1,5 EUR more, steak and were charged another steak that, of course, costed more. Do you see the trick? Of course, every time, they apologized and told us it was a misunderstanding. After 4 times I no longer believed it. :-(

    Please note that I only took a pic of this restaurant and did not go inside. They are probably not involved.

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    Dining and Drinking: A wise tourist in a bistrot
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  • Updated By GUYON on December 26, 2002
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  • Le Petit Zinc, bistrot in St Germain des Pres - Paris
    Le Petit Zinc, bistrot in St
    Germain des Pres
    by GUYON, 1 more photos
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    1- Be careful when you order in a restaurant or in a coffee shop.

    Often, the waiter gives you the more expensive thing corresponding to your request.

    For example, you ask for a coffee and you receive a large one. Think what may happen if you request 'a wine' in a restaurant.

    Choose precisely on the menu or on the list. They are compulsorily on the shopwindow.

    2- Do not leave the change on the table, the waiter can think it is an extra tip and takes up.

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    Dining and Drinking: Saint Michel area cheap gyro restaurants etc...
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  • Updated By Hamster_Huey on August 1, 2003
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  • Dining and Drinking - Paris
    by Hamster_Huey
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    Don't eat in the Saint Michel area, in the cluster of pedestrian streets around rue de la Huchette.

    It is disgusting, dirty, overcrowded,and not so cheap. You can eat delicious French food and drink wine for very cheap in Paris.

    Also avoid crepe stands near Brasseries in touristy places. The crepes are greasy, made with bad quality ingredients. Yuck!!!

    Go to a proper crepe restaurant, with tables and chairs and everything. It is much much better, and not necessarly more expensive. Order cider with your crepes!

    If you feel like having a snack and it's 3 AM and you're drunk, it doesn't matter what you're eating anyway

    If you feel like having a snack and you're sober, go to a backery and order some pastry. Yumm!!

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    Dining and Drinking: the "French Breakfast"
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  • Updated By jlanza29 on May 31, 2008
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  • Ok..I have to admit....I was wondering what was so special about the "French Breakfast" that I saw advertised everywhere we went sooooo.....as a typical tourist (the first time I went to Paris was in 1999)(I have been to Paris 10 times since) I sat down at an eatery and ordered a "French Breakfast"....and boy will that be the last time I ask for the "French Breakfast"....for 20 Euros....you get a crossiant, butter, 3 ounces of hot choclate, 3 ounces of orange juice and a small baguette bread !!!!!! I really thought the waiter was kiding when he told me that was it !!! ARE YOU KIDING !!!!!! 20 Euro's.......the waiter probably laugh as I had the word tourist ALL over MY FACE !!!!!!!! Ignore all the signs and pick your self up 10 pastries and a gallon of Orange juice and have it on a sidewalk watching the world go by for 10 Euros !!!!!!! McDonald's is a lot better for 3 Euro's !!!!! and if you must have bacon, eggs, bread, the FULL AMERICAN version of breakfast..be ready to PAY thru the ROOF...going rate was 35 euro's for an American style breakfast !!!!!

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    Dining and Drinking: Greek restos on quaint medieval streets-beware
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  • Updated By CALSF on July 18, 2004
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  • Rue de La Huchette - Paris
    Rue de La Huchette
    by CALSF
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    Walking in the Latin Qtr. you will definitely not miss Rue St. Severin and Rue de La Huchette off of Blvd. St. Michel. They are two of Paris' medieval streets, cobblestoned, tiny. But they are loaded not only with the typical TT (tourist traps) but also another kind of TT: Greek restaurants. The guys stand in the doorways beckoning passersby to eat at their restaurants. And if they are not eyecatching, then out come the dinner plates that they smash at their feet. Hopefully by doing this your attention is theirs. Mostly the food is overpriced and not of the greatest quality.

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    Dining and Drinking: Eat Local. Beware cartes/signs en Anglais
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  • Updated By davequ on March 14, 2006
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  • Carte Pl Fernand Mourlot - Paris
    Carte Pl Fernand Mourlot
    by davequ, 2 more photos
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    I try to avoid mediocre restaurants that cater to tourists, and I am sometimes skeptical if the menu is in English or if the place has a sign that advertises they speak English.

    Non... Not in Paris. Life is too short.

    If you encounter one of the "trap" restaurants or cafes on the Champs Ellysees, Blvd. Montparnasse, Latin Quarter, or anywhere that advertises "loudly&proudly" in English,
    run !

    more and more french restaurants are putting little lines in English on the cartes.
    I personally hate it.

    Get a Marling Menu-Master for France. (I have three: one for France, 1 for Italy, and 1 for Germany.) These are useful little tools for reading menus in any language.

    Then look for smaller places off the main streets that have a lot of locals eating there.

    Your hotel conscierge should most certainly be able to help you find good local places to eat. With a little practice you will be able to use your menu-master to decode any menu in any language.
    "Emince de Volaille?"

    I'd love reheated slices of roast bird (probably chicken) in it's juice and mild sauce for $10. (menu-master pg. 69)

    You can find a Marling Menu-Master for France at many places online, such as Amazon.com and others. Check it out here:

    you can buy Marling here

    My advice, for what it is worth:
    Don't waste your valuable time and money on mediocre cuisine in tourist traps.

    The second foto of a red Latin Quarter Menu is by Anthony Atkielski

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    Dining and Drinking: French ... Friend or Foe?
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  • By ammy28 on October 16, 2004
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  • Dining and Drinking - Paris
    by ammy28
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    I once sat with my friend at the cafe opposite to Moulin Rouge,he wanted beer so he ordered one and i didn't feel thirsty so i just sat.Minutes later,the waiter served me tab water with lemon sliced.Turns out they charge me at the same price as one pin of beer what my friend drank!! Jesus... I didn't order that god d*** tab water...

    If you really need to sit at the cafe with your friends so you must order something more classy than the t ab water :S

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