La villa Reine — Restaurant in Paris

My experience at La villa Reine was genuinely life changing and I want a place to write about that experience, so please bear with me while I shout into the void.

Short review: This place is magnificent in every way. I cannot recommend it enough if you are in Paris.

Long review: During my spring break in March, I found a great deal on plane tickets to Paris that would have me in the city for, effectively, less than 2 days. I had a lot of reasons for wanting to go; A love of geography that gave me a desire to see the world, the part of me that is still 7 years old looking up famous landmarks on Google Maps, and, perhaps most importantly, to visit a great friend I had made in Indiana (she is from France).

In the morning, after I had checked out of the hotel, I went walking with no destination. I just wanted to wander and immerse myself in the city. I knew I needed to stop at a restaurant somewhere, but I was a bit nervous to. I was completely alone on this trip, (my first time traveling out of the country entirely by myself), I didn't speak much French other than the 3 weeks of Duolingo practice I had gotten up to this point, and I was afraid of the language barrier. Eventually, I came across La villa Reine, which had a menu outside with a lot of delicious sounding options. After some inner debates in my head, I decided to suck it up and go in.

When I went inside, the atmosphere immediately calmed my nerves and put a hand on my shoulder, as if to let me know that I had made the right decision. I walked up to the counter and, in as few words as possible, ordered a cappuccino. The man who took my order was very kind and welcomed me to the restaurant. He showed me the table I was to sit at, which had the most magnificent view with the Eiffel Tower standing gloriously.

As I sat down, I began to stare out the window, in awe of the things and people I was lucky enough to be surrounded by. People riding their bikes, a couple sitting just a few tables over presumably studying on a shared laptop, the Eiffel Tower, which I used to obsess about seeing as a kid...the same kid who I knew I had just made extremely proud.

When the man who took my order brought me my coffee, he proceeded to ask me if I was interested in a croissant. I mustered up a very confident, "oui", and proceeded to enjoy my cappuccino and croissant. At this moment, staring out the window into a place that, perhaps foolishly, felt like home to me, I began to feel a sense of peace and gratitude that I had never felt before and haven't felt since. Here I was, in a Paris restaurant, eating a croissant, drinking the best cappuccino I have ever had, watching Parisians outside go about their day, Eiffel Tower looming over the city...this was it. I was living the dream of so many people, including my own. I felt the most immense sense of gratitude that I was getting to live this moment, that I was alive to be experiencing this. Even if it was just for this moment, my life was special.

During my moment of euphoria, a man walked into the restaurant. The man, a complete stranger, said a very kind, "bonjour," to me. Later on, he would go on to look at me and say, "au revoir," as he left. While this may seem small and insignificant, it contributed so much to my experience. It was as if I wasn't a foreigner. That man, who I will almost certainly never see again, has no idea how he contributed to my experience.

Just when I thought it couldn't get better, the man who took my order came to me and asked me where I was from, just for some friendly conversation. I was happy to tell him, and he seemed enthusiastic. This whole interaction meant everything to me.

After a while, I was able to sit back and be alone with my thoughts again. I took a breath and had the most peaceful realization in my life.

"This is it. This is where I am meant to be right now. Everything in my life has lead to this moment."

Thank you La villa Reine for this life changing...

My wife and I were staying at the hotel next door and decided to go for dinner at the La villa Reine since it was close by and getting late.

We ordered a cheese plate, a bottle of wine and 2 pizzas (veggie and mushroom truffle).

The food was excellent and the pizzas were absolutely amazing and tasty. GG provided us with excellent service and we had a lovely chat with him at the end of the night. His cat also came over to join us - which we loved, as we had finished our dinner and were just sipping on our wine.

I would highly recommend La villa Reine. The food was fantastic and the prices were very reasonable. We'll likely have dinner there again prior to...

Tucked away from the busy tourist spots, this charming Parisian restaurant offered us an unforgettable dining experience with authentic flavors and warm hospitality.

We ordered the lamb shank and duck confit, and both were absolutely outstanding. The lamb was fall-off-the-bone tender, perfectly cooked with a rich, savory sauce that complemented its natural sweetness. As for the duck confit—the best we’ve had in Paris! Crispy on the outside, melt-in-your-mouth tender inside, and seasoned to perfection.

To finish, we tried their crème brûlée, and it was divine—creamy, with a satisfying crack of caramelized...