MELT DELI Les halles — Restaurant in Paris

First off I cook, smoke, and barbecue my own meats. I am American. Curiosity got the best of me and I wanted to try this place. I regret it.

The pastrami sandwich wasn't the worst of my life but it was the worst value at 19€ (sandwich only).

Why? Top 5

The pastrami is not shaved, it is roast beef in consistency. This makes it tougher.

Sandwich was incredibly dry. The sandwich only had one small area covered in mustard. The meat was dry. Seriously look at the pics. Like 1/4 of the sandwich had mustard.

The smoke job. Notice that the meat is not uniform in color. This is likely because of temperature differences and maybe even smoking chopped. The job just isn't up to snuff.

See pictures but I thought quantity was light.

I would prefer if the staff wore hair nets or everyone at least wears hats. I didn't find a hair in my food but I was concerned.

So who's this place for?

People who don't really know American deli cuisine. Or for Americans who live here who will settle for just about anything.

As a traveler, especially an American traveler. Consider the cuisine you can get for 19€ in Paris.Remember that is sandwich only, no sides.

Hard pass. I regretted from first bite....

EDIT: second trip back was severely disappointing unfortunately. The pastrami sandwich was awful this time, which at a price point similar to Katz is just completely unacceptable. I’m hoping this is a one off but it seriously made me doubt going back next trip, whereas my first trip made me want to go back quickly.

Original review: As an American living in the French countryside, I just found one of my favorite stops whenever I pass through Paris. I’ve been waiting over a decade for this kind of food to be popular here & the Melt team has nailed it! I loved my pastrami sandwich & the slaw so much, I came back three more times in three days to try the other items. I’ll admit on the first return trip I found the brisket a tad dry, but as soon as I mentioned it they offered to put extra BBQ sauce on it and it was delicious. The pulled pork was fantastic too. Special mention for the perfect cornbread! The authentic music selection, the friendly service of the entire team, and the overall vibe of this place is just the best. Looking forward to...

Had an amazing experience at Melt! Everything we ordered was full of flavor and perfectly cooked. The charisu was rich and tender, and the grilled cheese had that perfect gooey center with a crispy golden crust. The corn bread was moist and just the right amount of sweet, pairing beautifully with the spicy chicken, which had the perfect balance of heat and seasoning. The garlic granules added a delicious crunch and burst of flavor to every bite.

To top it off, the French soda was refreshing and a fun, fizzy complement to the meal.

A big shoutout to Cesar, our server—friendly, attentive, and made us feel right at home. You can tell the team here really cares about the food and the customer experience. Definitely recommend, and I’ll be...