Union Square — Restaurant in Paris

We knew this place was geared toward tourists but went here anyway because we were right next to it with two hungry kids in tow and it was 1:40 PM. We also went here because it has 4.5 stars on Google.

I'm giving it one star for shady business practices, the actual quality is three stars. They have a huge sign out front that offers a three-course formule, or prix fixe menu, for 13.95 Euros, which is very cheap. This is not why we went here and I was the only one in our group that ordered more than a main dish.

However, I was surprised to find that if you order exactly what is included in the formule but don't look the waiter in the eye and specify that you want the formule, they will charge you the à la carte full fare for those items, which is around 30 Euros. The waiter won't ask if you want the formule either; it's a you snooze you lose situation.

This is not at all the way formules work in France. There is no 'mini 'or 'no frills' version of the regular menu fare that you can get for less. Even if there were (I've never seen it), it would be specified on the menu. Typically, if you order what is in the formule, you get the formule price, and you can only get that price if you order exactly what is in the formule. What they do at Union Square is not typical; it's misleading and intended to trick people. I write this not as a tourist, but as someone who has lived in Paris for over 20 years and I own a restaurant here.

The food: The burger was actually not bad, 3.5/5. The fries were clearly frozen and were dry but edible, 2/5. The French onion soup was not good, weak flavour, wrong cheese, avoid, 1.5/5. The fried chicken was the frozen stuff and also overcooked and dry, 2/5. The roast chicken looked better. The hot dogs were OK, 3/5. Desserts were good, 4/5. The waiter was amiable (4/5), though he allowed the situation to play out as it did. I was clearly not the first person to be caught off guard by their 'no tell don't ask' formule policy. We were comped a couple coffees.

It's unethical for the owner to operate like this, not just for the unwitting customers who feel duped, but also because it compromises the employees.

If the food in the formule is less than or different than the same items on the à la carte menu, this should be specified on the menu and by the waitstaff, especially given that the formule is what gets a lot of people in the door. Otherwise you have a lot of people getting a good deal, and some other people subsidizing that good deal by falling victim to a ridiculous gotcha scheme when they don't mention upfront that they want the items they've ordered that are in the formule to be included in...

I ordered the set meal.

Chicken Caesar Salad

The chicken arrived first. Golden brown, crisp on the outside, tender inside. Whoever made it understood patience—let the heat do its work, let the crust form, let the juices stay where they belong. The seasoning was just right. Not the kind that shouts, but the kind that lingers in the background, steady, like the hum of a refrigerator in a quiet apartment.

The lettuce was crisp, fresh. The kind of fresh that made me think of Baguio, where the air is clean, and vegetables feel like they’ve lived good lives.

The tomato—bright, tangy, a little sweet. Like sunlight stretching across a quiet street in the late afternoon.

The croutons and dressing didn’t overdo it. No unnecessary flash, no extra weight. They played their roles exactly as needed, like a rhythm section in a good band—subtle but essential.

Main Course

Rice with beef bourguignon. Or, if my French is right, Union’s pièce de résistance.

I chose rice. Sometimes you just need something familiar, something that reminds you of home, even when you’re far from it.

The beef stew was layered, deep. The wine was there, not loud, but present. A reminder that this dish took time. Not too salty, not too rich—just enough to keep you going, bite after bite.

The rice was exactly what it needed to be. White, soft, effortless. The kind of rice that doesn’t explain itself, doesn’t try to impress. Cooked the way only an Asian would—without hesitation, without doubt.

The mirepoix stood out. Onions, carrots, celery—each one clear, distinct. A quiet French accent in an otherwise familiar conversation.

Dessert

I ordered something entirely un-French: New York cheesecake.

It arrived without ceremony. Just a slice on a plate, no tricks, no illusions. The cake itself—sweet, tangy, the crust crumbly in just the right way.

The berry sauce balanced everything, cutting through the richness without overpowering it. The powdered sugar dusted around the edges, completing the circle, like the last note of a song played exactly right.

Conclusion

Union Square may serve American cuisine, but for a moment, it felt like something else. Maybe it was the atmosphere, maybe the way the waitstaff carried themselves, maybe just the way time moved differently inside.

For a few hours, we weren’t visitors from Manila. We were Parisians, if...

Above average food, average service and decor, clean restaurant, reasonably priced.

The food was served hot and with good presentation. The quality and portion size were average. The taste was better that I'd expected, given that it was located in a very touristy area.

The interior dining was a bit cramped. The servers were competent, but very mechanical.

Overall, a little better than what I'd expected.

-- Tourist from the U.S.A.

Reply to owner's response:

Dear Sir.

I guess the time I'd visited your establishment, your servers may have been very busy so I didn't have much time to interact with them. Please understand that my views are just a snap shot of your restaurant and I may have caught your staff at a bad moment.

We sat inside and some of the seats were very close to each other, which is why I didn't give your atmosphere a higher grade. But the inside is lovely, and the outdoor seating was properly spaced. Just that it was cold that evening.

Regardless, I must commend you on your food:} It was a very pleasant surprise! I was expecting a tourist trap.

-- A tourist that fell in...