Bistro L'Olivier — Restaurant in Paris

We went to Bistro L’Olivier for lunch and were fortunate to get a table without a reservation. Those who arrived after us weren’t as lucky, so I’d definitely recommend booking ahead. It fills up quickly and for good reason.

We started with the sea bream ceviche to share, which was absolutely delicious. It was fresh, expertly prepared and full of flavour. The dressing that came with it was particularly impressive and complemented the dish beautifully.

For mains, we had the L’Olivier Black Angus burger with sweet potato fries and a green salad, and the Spanish arborio risotto with seafood. The burger was fantastic, cooked perfectly to medium as requested. The sweet potato fries were among the best we’ve ever had. This is a dish I would highly recommend.

The risotto was generous with mussels and seafood and had lovely flavour, but it would have benefited from a bit more lime. The slices provided weren’t quite enough and wedges would have worked better. The only real disappointment was the shrimp, which had not been deveined. Unfortunately, this made them unappetising and I chose not to eat them. I hope the kitchen considers addressing this in future.

After our meal, we ordered espresso and it was excellent. Rich, smooth and a perfect way to finish lunch. A special mention also goes to the bathroom, which was super clean and very well maintained.

Service was warm and friendly and the atmosphere was cosy and inviting. It is well worth a visit and we would happily return, especially for the ceviche...

I dined solo for two nights as was travelling on business - two very different experiences. The first night was exceptional from food to ambience to fantastic service. However the second night, the waitress was very rude throughout the evening. Tried to make me sit on a tiny table that was squashed in next to someone’s chair. Then told me they needed the table back in 45 mins which I agreed to, even though there were plenty of empty tables while I was there and beyond. In fact I was there over an hour and there was no urgent need for my table. The food was fantastic, but I was treated very differently to other guests - noticeably so. I always ensure I try to speak French as much as I can which is normally appreciated in Paris, but this time the lady kept replying to me in English very impatiently. There were no niceties - no offer of water, no bread - which all other tables got. I had the feeling I was not welcome and was an imposition, which was not nice.

The first night however was the complete opposite. The waitress who served me was delightful, so friendly warm and welcoming.

Overall the place has gorgeous food and a lovely cosy interior, perfect for chilling out and enjoying. Just depends on whether the waiting staff like you or not!

Pics are from my lovely...

Nothing special regarding atmosphere Food was good , but millefeuille is horrible and overpriced for 12 euros, it has nothing special to worth 12 euros. Cheap cream, crust is tough, this is not millefeuille or an interesting innovation.

Service is a under the level at réception, because when clients arrive they tell you with a not always a smiling face, that it's either booked or they give you a time limit. They might have demand, but telling people's with a smiling face, book online, or tomorrow is better than having a firm face and believing that you are doing a service to the customer... Nothing exceptional overall .. it's for me overated for...