À L'Épi d'Or — Restaurant in Paris

Jan 2018 - We went to this restaurant because my wife had read that it was one of Christian Louboutin's (shoe designer) favourite locals. His store is close by. We also read other good reviews & recommended dishes. Sadly - for the one hour dinner service (8 - 9 pm) none of those were available. It was empty except for two other tables (this should have given us pause) & these were clearly regulars who were fawned over while we were ignored. There was a 'special of the day' which the very rude waiter rushed through. When asked to repeat, he explained very loudly - that he knew only two English expressions - 'Hello & Goodbye' & then swanned off. The restaurant provided English menus so are clearly targeting the non French tourist market, guess the waiter missed the memo. Wonder what the owner would think? And yes - our French is actually quite good as my wife have visited every year for 15 years. So - we ordered the great French fall back - 'steak + frites'. My wife provided a (written in French - by a French resident) request for it to be cooked well done. No - that arrived almost wriggling. So most of that was left on he plate. The tarte tartin was woeful too - we could see it being microwaved in the kitchen. Not made to order as suggested. The bill was not cheap either - & even then we had to wait for 20 minutes for the afore mentioned waiter to wrap up his lengthy conversation to bring us the bill. As we left, we heard some rude comments about the 'Australians'. Who were the only polite ones during this whole experience I might add. We could have been rude at the time but were not. If this bistro does not want English speaking guests - do not provide English menus & make it clear that it is for locals only. We noticed a number of restaurants who did this & were not offended. In short - there are so many more lovely local style places to eat in Paris, & most appreciate the value of the tourist dollar as they are well aware that their economy would...

I had such a wonderful time at À L’Épi d’Or. The moment I walked in, I was struck by the charm of the place — the vintage tiles, the mirrors, and the warm, timeless atmosphere make you feel like you’ve stepped back into a classic Parisian bistro, but in the best possible way.

The food was exactly what I hoped for: comforting, authentic, and made with care. I tried a couple of the bistro classics — the steak tartare was beautifully seasoned, and the pâté en croûte was spot on. There are daily specials as well, which I loved because it gives you a reason to come back and discover something new each time.

The service was genuinely kind and welcoming, attentive without being over the top, and the staff made me feel at ease right away. I also really enjoyed the wine selection — lots of interesting options that paired perfectly with the food.

It’s not the cheapest spot, but for the quality, the atmosphere, and the feeling of eating in a true Parisian institution, I found it absolutely worth it.

Overall, À L’Épi d’Or is a gem — delicious food, warm service, and a setting that’s full of character. I’d happily go back and recommend it to anyone looking for a real Paris...

We love this little place. We first stumbled on it a few years ago, lost it and then found it again on our last trip to Paris. The restaurant is small and unpretentious- although with a touch of la Belle Époque. Small tables, close together - which I like. The food is generous and traditional French. On my last visit I have the filet bouef, cooked just right (the gratin dauphinois is delicious). Lovely if small wine list with quite a few demi-bottles. The service, to my mind, is excellent - welcoming and friendly and not "standardised". I found the waiter/proprietor to be friendly and interested, putting up with my atrocious French (if you're a native English speaker, do try and use French, we all did a bit at school and you can at the very least get a phrase book and take a punt - yes Americans and my fellow Australians I am thinking of you). This is a little place that I'll come back to again on my next visit to Paris.

Overall - not cheap - but it is 1st arr. in Paris - NOTHING is cheap... Food is lovely and old-school...