Bistrot des Gastronomes

This place is overhyped on tripadvisor. We had the 35 euro menu and it was just meh.

The foie appetizer was the tiniest portion ever. There were 2 slices, about 2mm thick each (yeah, that would be paper thin). On the toast points, it was so thin as to not have any flavor or gaminess. Also, no texture. Alas.

The salmon tartare appetizer was better. Fresh, flavorful -- but too many onion sprouts (which were just garnish, didn't really enhance the flavor of the dish).

The entrees were really what got me. Every restaurant needs to save money, yes, but using the same beef-based sauce on a duck breast and a steak is really cutting corners. On top of that, the base (mostly mushrooms and potatoes) of both entrees had also been drawn from the same prep. So the dishes tasted the same, with the exception of the protein on top.

The duck breast was forgettable. Not tender, not gamey, not ducky in any way. I could have been eating beef.

The steak was divine, really the high point of the meal. It was perfectly cooked, melt in your mouth with just the right amount of chew. Also, delicious.

The desserts were meh. The mille-feuille was actually just ONE layer of pastry, shaped like a sail. Was chef trying to be clever? Or was chef lazy? That's a fine line there. The dessert of stewed prunes and dates soaked in brandy and baked in parchment was alcoholic (because baking doesn't sear off any alcohol) and also strangely tough. The dates and prunes started out as dried dates and dried prunes and didn't really plump up enough with the addition of the liquor to give them a good, stewed mouth-feel. The presentation was cute, though (see my photos).

Finally, the service. The waitress ... did not like us much? We ordered before 2 other tables that arrived after we had arrived, and the other tables consistently got their food first. The table next to us actually finished their main courses before we were served. That's just a sign of poor kitchen management -- or a server who does not like you.

Either way, it was money poorly spent. I would have preferred a sandwich, to be honest.

p.s. -- If you still want to eat here after my review, make sure you make a reservation. The hostess/waitress turned away several parties (even though the restaurant was not full, so go figure).

Icredible food and wines! My favorite place to experience Paris.
Daily menu is chefs best creations. Desserts and also made to order. Waitress and waiters are lovely. A great Parisian experience all around.

Excellent food, good service.

Had the 35euro menu and enjoyed all of it: foie gras, cochon, and the tarte tartin. They threw in a complimentary pumpkin soup which was great, too. The razor clams were probably the best thing we ordered.

We had high expectations for this restaurant because it came highly recommended by a chef who had spent the summer in Paris. Their pre fix menu was around 30e and was so worth it! Everything was beautifully presented and cooked to PERFECTION. I had razor clams which had a nice broth and curled fried potatoes on top, and salmon which was tender and moist, and also tried the pork, and gazpacho. Everything tasted amazing. Service was fantastic. I loved this place so much...why did we wait for our last night to try it!?!

This was our last meal in Paris on a recent honeymoon trip. There are few reviews so far on Yelp, but there should be more. I think it was our best meal we had in Paris. The food is very tasty and affordable. The three course meal for dinner cost 28€ which is very reasonable for a fancy meal. The restaurant has a 4.5 star rating on TripAdvisor which is more accurate than the current 3 star rating on Yelp. I had the gazpacho for my first course, porcin(pork) with potatoes and mushrooms. And the creme brûlée for dessert. I recommend the poelee de couteaux en persillade( razor clams with crispy thin potato slices on top instead for the first course. The pork dish and the creme brûlée were quite amazing. The portions were also big and many baskets of bread were included which helps the value. There are endless choices in Paris for food especially some overpriced tourist food. I recommend this bistro for a nice dinner with good value for your money!