The Le Chartier is a popular and relatively famous restaurant in Paris. It's always very busy, you have to queue to get in and it's very noisy inside. The waiters are obtuse to say the least, don't speak English (no reason they should, of course, they're in France) and refuse to understand less-than-perfect attempts at French pronunciation.
However, on the plus side, the atmosphere is very, well I dunno, French I suppose, In a Piccaso in Paris getting drunk with his mates type way, the food is cheap, and more importantly, fantastic. Also it's so noisy you can't hear the all the other American and English tourists that you must surely be within 15 foot of, exclaiming how 'quaint' and 'authentic' it is (because, y'know, I'm allowed to be there, but nobody else is allowed not to be French...).
So anyway, it's great. This online review sums up the atmosphere and service well, though it neglects to emphasize just how good the food is.
The reason I mention this isn't because I've been there, at least not recently. We went there in November 2000, and ever since I've periodically pestered my friend:
"Hey, Anoushka, what was that cool resaurant place called again?"
"Le Chartier"
"Oh, yeah, that's right, and where is it again?"
"nearest metro is Grands Boulevards."
"Right, right..."
And then I'd promptly forget all that, 'cos I'm not great with names. Events, yes, ask me what I was doing on August Bank holiday 2001 and I'll be able to tell you, but names? No. So French names? Forget it.
So this is just a little reminder to myself, and so I can stop bugging Anoushka, right Nooshie?
Of course, Hev and I will still need to take Anoushka along, we can't speak French, how would we order...?
Comments
May 2006
The waiters DO speak English. Well, they replied in English to my attempts to speak French. Very friendly they were too.
It is a place for good value, hearty meals, reasonably priced for Paris.
Went there on Sunday 21 October 2007 and the food was truly revolting. Re-heated school dinners and not cheap. Ruined our evening.
I hadn't been to Chartier since 97 and on a recent holiday in Paris went back. I enjoy this restaurant every time I am there. I didn't remember the lines, but this time there were about fifty people in front of me. I waited only 20 minutes to get seated. I know this place gets the "tourist magnet" name, but frankly everyone we ran into on this trip was French. The staff was great (in 97 and 08). In 07 the waiter didn't speak French...I didn't expect him too speak English. It didn't detract from anything. The prices were half of what we had paid early in the trip at a nice restaurant, and the food was better at Chartier. One American couple came in and was seated with other people at a large table (which the restaurant does). The couple turned around and left...their loss. We sat and conversed with a nice French couple.
i visited Paris for the first time now, feb 08. In my guidebook, the restaurant was mentioned and its description caught our curiosity.
"let's go there for dinner this evening" I said to my lovely wife, and so we did....except for, we didn't!
The mass of people waiting added up around the corner! The next day we tried and hour earlier, succesfully! The atmosphere, the waiters the plates and its simplicity where indeed fantastic. They write your order down on your sheet, and our waiter kept corecting us in the way we ordered our food.
It was really a laugh; not for the couple from Switzerland though. The were seated at our table as well, and they did not know where they got into, just walking by the restaurant and got in!
Once you've seen it, you've seen it, so i won't go back, but if you're in paris, you should try it and experience it
Went there Easter 2007. Atmospheric place, and an "experience", but the food was bad, and not the good value for money that others describe elsewhere. Were sat next to an Australian who was complaining about his steak (it looked horrible), so I ordered Poulet Frites which was tasteless. For the same money you can each so much better elsewhere. Don't bother. The long queues don't mean it's a good place.
Sorry, I meant easter 2008.
were in this rest dec 28 2008 cold food steak and lamb chops awful We came out to see a queue of at least 50 people we were tempted to tell them to go home!
I first went to Chartier as a sixteen year old schoolboy over thirty years ago, on my first holiday without parents...it was an amazing experience for a kid even though the waiters didnt encourage my freind and I to hang around after our meal (too young..not enough money)
I now live in France and always make a point of visiting it whenever I'm in Paris and have loved it every time. No the cusine isn't the most fancy that you'll find in Paris, but I submit that it is still far better than the tourist driven gunk you get in places that cost five times as much as you'll ever pay in Chartier.. I dont know what the person who commented that it was expensive ate, but its simply not true.
I have been there probably between 50 or 60 times over the years and have NEVER had a bad meal there...I'd reccomend it for the athmosphere alone.
the absolute worst food i have eaten in a restaurant, we ordered our food and drinks and within 2 minutes both our drinks and food were on the table!! thats fast food!!
Chartier is one place in Paris i would never recommend.
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