Zen — Restaurant in Paris

Initially came here with a group and they were quite busy. The person who greeted us was fairly and hospitable. “ no no 20 to 30 minutes he said.” he didn’t start walking away before we could even respond. The group didn’t wanna wait so we went next-door and ate at the brasserie. I was really craving sushi so I skipped the group lunch and went back for lunch solo. They sat me at the sushi bar which I normally like, but as it was close to the end of their lunch service, I was both mostly neglected. I.e. food was dropped with no silverware or chopsticks and worse than that the servers were stacking serviceware loudly just a few feet away from me. For a place with Michelin Plaques on the wall I expect them to be more conscious about not disturbing the guest experience while they’re breaking down the dining room. On my way out I gave this feedback to the person at the counter who looked like a manager. I figured I would give it to them privately instead of posting it publicly. Her response was to tell me it was my fault that I sat at the chef’s counter at which point I reminded her. That it was them that sent me at the Chef counter. I would’ve been happy to sit on the patio and they should’ve sent me outside if their protocol is to be stacking things loudly in the dining room while they’re still guest enjoying their meal. Her response was quite shocking. She told me first, “ well we didn’t think you’d wanna sit next to anybody else” which I just found bizarre. Then she told me well. I’m not the owner so nothing I can do about it. Really disappointing to experience poor hospitality when you’re paying the same premium pricing as other guests. It seems that the owner is reading these reviews, and I don’t know she modifies her closing policies to be in line with the restaurant they seem...

It's always a pleasure to go to Zen. The staff are welcoming, taking good care of their guests. The food is authentically Japanese and the price is fairly reasonable. In terms of cost-performance, it is one of the best Japanese restaurants in Paris.

The sushi is succulent and fresh; however, be warned that on some days they have a huge backlog of sushi orders, meaning that those ordering sushi may have to wait longer for their meal to arrive than the rest of the group!

Similarly, the "teishoku" (main dishes with accompanying rice, salad and miso soup) are very good. I would highly recommend the lunch menus (available even at weekends) which come with sashimi and teishoku for around 20 euros.

The desserts too are very good. They are not things you would necessarily find elsewhere, they are quite unique.

To drink, Koedo beer, brewed in Kawagoe in Saitama prefecture, is available, if a little on the expensive side at 8 euros. There is also tea from Lupicia, a Japanese tea shop.

For large groups, there is a large space downstairs, although they don't take reservations for lunch so it would be advisable to get there early. Similarly, for families with small children or babies in strollers, the downstairs area may be more suitable due to the...

I had a very disappointing experience at this restaurant. The person taking my order was inattentive and completely missed it. I sat there for a long time, feeling very hungry, and assumed the food was taking a while to prepare. However, I later realized that they hadn't even processed my order, despite me having already given it. When I confronted the staff, they didn’t offer any apology for their mistake, which was very frustrating.

The owner did offer me a free meal and apologized at the end, but I had the feeling it wasn’t sincere. There was still no apology from the person who took my order, which left a bad taste in my mouth. Additionally, the owner kept speaking to my girlfriend in French, even though she had already addressed him in Japanese. This lack of understanding of customer service and basic communication was really off-putting. If you're going to run a Japanese restaurant, it might be worth understanding Japanese customs, especially how to properly apologize.

Overall, I wouldn’t recommend this place. There are plenty of better restaurants where the service and overall experience match the price. Dining out isn’t just about food; it's about the experience, and this one missed the...