We will be arriving in Paris on a Monday and staying near the Saint Germaine des Prés metro station in the 6th. I am looking for someplace for dinner that 1) is Open on Mondays, 2) is a reasonable walk from the hotel (less than 30 minutes) as we’ll be tired on our first night, 3) offers a la carte rather than only tasting menu. I’d rather it be something casual but delicious rather than Michelin level or overly fancy, since I’d rather save the pricier experiences for the following days when we’re hopefully more awake and alert. I was thinking maybe bistro or brasserie, but I am totally open to ideas. Thank you!
I think that the L’Avant Comptoirs (de la Terre, de la Mer) are only a 5-10 minute walk from you and are open. Stools at the counter aren’t the most comfortable way to eat dinner, but the choices are plentiful and mostly very good. Excellent choices of wine by the glass as well.
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Les Parisiens, right on the border of the 6th and 7th, meets your criteria.
We usually go for lunch, because the lunch menu is a great value. But we had similar criteria to yours when we arrived on a Monday a couple years back and that was my dinner choice.
If you do go, I strongly suggest ordering the fish, which they do much better than the rest of their dishes.
I no longer find it as consistently fabulous as it was 3 years ago when we first went, but it’s usually good, and I’ve never had a bad or even “meh” fish dish there.
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We’ve even frequently all the 3 L’ Avants, de la Terre, de la Mer, du Marché inside the market, most recently late February, and they all offer long hours, stool seating, lots of inexpensive choices on the menu of items hanging from ceiling, wines by the glass, and English speaking staff, as they attract many visitors, mostly English speaking.
When we arrive and don´t have anything booked for Monday, we head there if staying in the sixth (most recently Hotel de Saints-Pères or formerly at Le Madison). But honestly we do tire of the options at the 3 Comptoirs, as they seem to us so similar.
But I agree with Les Parisiens on the border of the 6th and 7th or in a pinch we go to Freddy’s (yes, same owners as Fish), for uncomplicated small plates, but go early to snag one of the bar stools, and the service, ime, can be hit or miss.
Another for us is the Café de Minstères in the 7th, but only open on Monday evenings from 7:30 on.
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Though it is Italian- Casa Bini is great. The menu changes a lot, but I have always eaten well there. Some like Cinq Mars- that puts you more to bistro category. Colvert is a nice experience as well. These places take you off the heavier tourist hot spots. If you are “fried” from travel- you might want to avoid directly on St. Germaine, Buci and Rue de Seine. These all put you pretty close. Cafe Varenne is a pretty good spot as well. On the way to Cinq Mars is Gainsbourg home and a nice wine bar. Colvert you can pass through the madness of Buci, pass through some art gallery sections… For Varenne a walk down Rue de Bac will definitely let you know you are in Paris. Lots of options, just thinking what is tolerable on an arrival day, interesting, not a killer on stomach or pocket book. People swear by Kodawari Ramen (can get busy), Assanbel nice lebanese. These are all pretty easy going, though I do reccomend reservations (the ramen place, no res).
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In addition to Les Parisiens (already mentioned),
Le 122
La Laiterie Sainte-Clotilde
Le Christine
Le Colvert
Sancerre Rive Gauche
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Thanks so much! This is all so very helpful.
