Café l'étoile 1903 — Restaurant in Paris

Café L’Etoile: A Detailed Review for Visitors

Café L’Etoile, located steps away from the iconic Arc de Triomphe, is a picturesque Parisian café that attracts tourists with its charm and prime location. However, the reviews are a mixed bag of exceptional experiences and disappointing encounters. Here’s a detailed breakdown to help you decide if it’s worth a visit.

Highlights Location: • Unbeatable proximity to the Arc de Triomphe. • Stunning terrace views of the monument. • Ideal for starting your day in Paris or enjoying a relaxing meal while sightseeing. Ambiance: • Authentic Parisian décor with a cozy, charming atmosphere. • Great spot for people-watching and soaking in the city’s vibe. Food Quality: • Pros: • French classics like croissants, Croque Monsieur, and foie gras receive high praise. • Exceptional coffee and desserts, including chocolate mousse and baguettes. • Cons: • Mixed reviews on food quality, with some diners finding dishes overpriced and underwhelming. • Complaints about portion sizes and inconsistency in taste. Service: • Positive: • Polite and attentive waitstaff reported by some visitors. • Servers who speak multiple languages to assist tourists. • Negative: • Reports of rude or dismissive behavior by some waiters. • Complaints of being pressured to tip and unclear billing practices. Pricing: • Expect higher-than-average prices due to the prime location. • Common complaints include hidden charges and discrepancies between menu prices and final bills.

Visitor Tips Check the Menu Prices: • Carefully review your bill and compare it with the menu before paying. • Be cautious about hidden charges like service fees or “mandatory” tips. Time Your Visit: • Mornings or weekdays are generally quieter, offering a better chance for quality service. • Avoid peak times to prevent long waits and rushed staff. Order Smartly: • Stick to recommended dishes like croissants, coffee, and French pastries. • Skip overpriced items like basic beverages or extras like bread unless necessary. Seek Alternatives: • If the café feels too touristy or crowded, consider nearby options like La Flamme, known for better value and service.

Final Thoughts

Café L’Etoile is a gamble. While its location and ambiance are undeniably Parisian, the inconsistent service and pricing practices make it a hit-or-miss experience. If you’re drawn to its charm, visit with clear expectations, or explore other eateries around the Arc de Triomphe for a more reliable...

Horrible. Don't even try this place just because it's close to the Arc de Triumph. Especially if you're a tourist. If you are interested in the vent, here are the reasons this "restaurant" is a disaster...

First thing when we get in, the menus on the table are taken off and we are given the "english" menus. How do we know the prices are not altered for us visitors?

Menu is huge and from what we've learned from Gordon Ramsey, RED FLAG. When we started ordering, we had to repeat multiple times, show the server the menu he should know. Crazy.

Everything is wayyy over priced. For a small drink like Mojito, 14 euros.

Having been walking around the whole day, we were very thirsty. Finished our water right away and asked the waiter for more. Did not come until we got his attention and asked again midway through our meals.

I hope we will be okay after this food. I had "homemade bolognese penne" (20 something euros). Homemade, maybe?, but probably made two weeks ago. The pasta was clearly reheated in the microwave. No seasoning on the minced meat. Parmesan was also cheap, you could tell. My mother had the veal. Waiter did not know what medium rare was, we explained very well. What we got was severely undercooked, raw. The center had to be left uneaten. It was pink and mushy, I bet their tartare is great. Not only was it inedible, the cut was horrible. Grainy and fibrous. My father had the "Beautiful french steak". Also inedible. Have you ever seen a finished plate with only half a steak eaten. Half the steak was completely raw so we tried our best but couldn't even chew through. Impossible. It was a red bath on the plate.

All the time we were eating, not once did the server come to ask how we like the food, was not attentive at all. It was very clear he knew just how bad the food was.

when he came to collect our plates, we cancelled the creme brulee we ordered. The receipt came and we could barely understand what was on it. All the meals we had ordered had different names making it almost impossible to check. And at the bottom, there was some added taxes with no explanation. Unclear how many euros...

Overall, very disappointed with the experience here. Visiting Paris for 2 weeks, and our meal here was the only sore spot/regret, because of how we were treated — felt like the waiter was trying to take advantage of us at every point, beyond the typical upsell:

Ordered 2 drinks and asked for water: only offered still or sparkling, no tap. Ordered two dishes (sea bream ceviche and hamburger). Was pressured to add garlic bread, then salad, then a side - politely declined all. Food arrived, we received sea bream ceviche and grilled sea bass (a pricier plate) - no apology for the mixup, hard to tell if it was an honest mistake or not. We finished the meal, pressured again to order dessert, another drink, an espresso. The bill came (65 euros for 1 glass of rose, a 0.5L of water, and the 2 dishes) and we paid via card - for the first time ever, in many years of visiting France, I had a waiter ask me what amount to enter into the credit card machine. As he held the machine, watching over me, pressuring me to add gratuity to the bill. I pointed to the menu, where “taxes et service compris / service included” is literally printed at the bottom of the page - the waiter starts to hit me with “In France, you must..” nah, fam. I’ve worked in F&B and totally understand gratuity, and the custom of leaving a bit extra in Europe when warranted. So then he’s like, “so you will leave the gratuity on card or cash?” And it was super uncomfortable, because the service had been sub-par. I felt like I was almost being robbed, forced to pay even more for a meal I didn’t order.

PROS: It has a roof for the rain. Food is fine.

CONS: Staff tries to exploit tourists. Felt taken advantage of. Made uncomfortable by being forced to leave gratuity to a bill that already had...