Podium Bistrot Festif — Restaurant in Paris

We had pre-booked our visit to this particular restaurant based on its reputation for a lively atmosphere that transforms into a party setting later on. The ambiance did indeed exude a party vibe, complete with DJ tables, a piano, and vibrant lighting - setting the stage for a great celebration. However, the venue wasn't as crowded as expected, dampening the festive feel slightly. Despite this, the presence of three singers and a pianist that day added a unique touch to the experience and elevated the overall atmosphere.

Our interaction with the performers, although we didn't know all the lyrics, created a wonderful connection and enhanced the ambiance. The service provided was exceptional, with a notably friendly staff member who went above and beyond to ensure our comfort. The food was delicious, satisfying all of our preferences with well-portioned dishes bursting with flavor. The drinks also hit the spot perfectly.

I can only imagine the vibrant energy of this place when it's packed and during the weekend - it must truly come alive in...

They are just not professionals. And they play with people and their kids. My son is a violinist and he wanted to play at this bistrot with his friends. They are all childrens between 7-11 years old. They were five. They were need play, may be twenty minutes . They are playing a music good , by the way. And the first owner promised "ok" for playing, and after all, another owner created a story and didn't let our kids to play music. Both said that they are owners of this restaurant. The first one "owner " disappeared suddenly with no reason - the other one never promised to us to play. Game for nothing. No respect to kids first of all and for people. Just an answer: "I didn't promis anything and I can't do anything for you!!! No sense!!! And even if they, may be, have a good kitchen, no one of us will ever come to eat at this place, if this is an interest of owner, he is a winner!!? And I wasn't alone , we were a lot of parents of kids, who were promised to play music with...

There’s nothing to complain about  the quality of the food, which we found to be very good, although quite expensive. As for the service, it generally wasn’t up to scratch, though not really bad either.

However, there is a practice —bordering on fraud — that involves offering to add a 10%, 15%, or 20% tip when paying by credit card. The French know perfectly well that the service charge ("gratuity") is already included in the bill, and that a tip is simply a discretionary extra for service they genuinely appreciated. A 5% or 10% tip is reasonable, depending on the experience, but, in the vast majority of cases, certainly not 15% or 20%.

For many foreign tourists, especially Americans — who are used to the gratuity not being included in the bill and who are unaware of French law — 20% might even seem like a “good deal,” since the standard gratuity in the U.S. is now around 25%.

I find this practice reprehensible, and it justifies limiting my...