Gargouille — Restaurant in Paris

I’ve visited this restaurant 3-4 times before and had always enjoyed it. I work and live a minutes away. The environment was amazing, the food was delicious, and while it was often busy, it was still a pleasant experience.

This time, however, was a huge disappointment. My friend, visiting from abroad, and I wanted a nice Tuesday night out. She made the reservation and was contacted to confirm whether we’d prefer seating in the "next room" or at the bar. Unfamiliar with what “next room” actually meant, she chose it.

When we arrived, I realized that “next room” was not just an extension of the main restaurant—it was their second establishment a few doors down, which was more of a sandwich lunch spot than a proper dining venue. While I don’t mind casual spots, this was not the atmosphere we were looking for. The second location was cold, lacked music, and was completely empty apart from one other table when we arrived.

I asked to be seated in the main restaurant instead, but I was told it was full—even though it was empty when I walked in, with only two tables occupied. Reluctantly, we stayed in the other room.

Our food took 30-40 minutes to arrive, and while we appreciated the complimentary starter as an apology, it didn’t make up for the freezing temperature, lackluster service, and awkward vibe of the space.

Adding to the disappointment, the bathroom was dirty and hadn’t been cleaned in some time. The service was inattentive—our glasses sat empty while the waiter stared at his phone. The dishes themselves were fine but nothing memorable, especially given the price and reputation of the restaurant.

One detail that struck me was that none of the other diners in this room were French-speaking, which made me wonder if we were intentionally seated here because we were perceived as non-locals or if this was a coincidence.

Overall, the experience was underwhelming and frustrating. This was far from the quality and atmosphere I had experienced in the past. For the price and the restaurant’s high ratings, it’s simply not worth it anymore. Sadly, I won’t be returning, nor will I recommend this...

Feel so lucky to have stumbled upon this place! The best service I have had…they were extremely helpful with translating the menu very attentive despite our lack of French. The atmosphere was great : passionate, lively and enthusiastic. First thing I noticed when we stepped inside was the smell of fresh herbs. The cocktails where Devine. Best food we had in our entire holiday (Amsterdam, Germany and Paris). Afterwards they had great recommendations for a night out in the area. Only negative is…we didn’t return on our last evening and ended up at place serving defrosted food. So sad we didn’t go here again the next day. Thank you guys for truly exceptional food and drinks, and thank you for such a welcoming experience - we will be back next time we...

The food was good.

The tuna samosa dish was an interesting take on samosa. The octopus was fine.. the base broth and rice served with the octopus was very good.

The service was a bit odd. I had made a reservation two days before and I also got a confirmation call that there is a table in the back and if I was fine with that. Post the confirmation on the day of reservation I was served at the bar table which was next to the main entrance. It was a cold night and the restaurant was serving food next door, every few mins the door was opened. It was not a great experience and I could not enjoy the food. For the future, it would be better if they confirmed any changes in...