I’ll be very upfront in saying that Bistrot Paul Bert is not a ‘secret spot’ nor is it ‘off-the-beaten-path’. In fact, I’m quite certain that you could flip through any Paris travel guide or magazine, and Bistrot Paul Bert would be mentioned in it. It’s the Parisian bistro you might imagine in your dreams. It’s the traditional restaurant you’d expect to see in any movie based in France. The menu is as classic french comfort food as it gets, so if you’re craving some steak frites or an airy souffle, this is the place to go.
Related Post: The Ultimate Paris Food Guide
We went to Bistrot Paul Bert for my birthday dinner…and what an unforgettable dinner it was. At first, I was a bit nervous that the meal wouldn’t live up-to-the-hype. First, they couldn’t find our reservations despite the fact that we had booked a table 2 weeks in advance. Then, we were seated elbow-to-elbow next to two parties that clearly looked like tourists, which is never really a great sign. Lastly, we had to flag down the waiter after being seated for some time (to be fair, I never expect much from the service in Paris anyway) so that we could order the Prix-Fixe menu off of a dusty, handwritten black-and-white chalkboard (okay, kinda charming).
But, none of that really mattered as soon as the wine and appetizers came out…because everything tasted divine.
The green bean salad was crisp and refreshing. Not the most outstanding thing I’ve tasted, but it was good.
Steak frites. Perfection.
The ‘Floating Island’ dessert tasted like a light, airy, sweet cloud. From heaven.
And then there was the cheese board, which by the way, is served to you on an actual hefty wood board…and you can cut however much cheese you want from it. Best chevre I’ve ever had.
We spent almost 3 hours lingering over dinner with a quality bottle of Bordeaux, while enjoying the noisy ambiance and elegant chaos you’d expect from a dimly-lit cozy French bistro, and it was absolutely wonderful.
It may not serve up the most ‘innovative’ or ‘unique’ dishes. It’s probably not going to offer the best service. And, thanks to Anthony Bourdain and Andrew Zimmerman, there might always be a stereotypical loud ‘tourist’ next to you in the dining room. …but it doesn’t matter because I know that now anytime I make a trip to Paris, I’ll be making a stop here.
Want to read more about Paris? You can check out my related blog post, “Trip Inspiration: My Paris Photo Diary” here.
Related Post: The Ultimate Paris Food Guide
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