Le Baratin is a french bistro restaurant in 20E, Paris.
Raquel Carena cooks Argentine-French intuition food at Le Baratin, the Belleville room every Parisian chef calls their favourite when no one is listening.
Editorially verified May 18, 2026 by Lewis Vaughan, TableJourney editor. Source.
Signature dishes: Veal sweetbreads, Pigeon
Must order: The sweetbreads if they are on, and a glass from Philippe Pinoteau's natural list.
Tip: Closed Sunday and Monday, often Saturday too. Phone bookings only, no website.
Address: 3 Rue Jouye-Rouve, 75020 Paris
Septime's seafood little sister, Clamato in Paris runs no-reservation oysters, ceviche and grilled fish from 19:00. Walk-in only; queue forms by 18:45.
Signature: Oysters, Hake ceviche
Order: Half a dozen Gillardeau oysters, the hake of the day, and a plate of lardo on toast.
Tip: Arrive at 18:45 for the first seating or after 21:30 for the second. No bookings ever.
Bistrot Paul Bert is Paris's textbook bistro: zinc bar, chalkboard menu, steak frites cooked rare with hand-cut fries, île flottante for two on a single.
Signature: Steak frites, Île flottante
Order: Steak frites cooked saignant, île flottante for two, a pichet of house red.
Tip: Closed Sunday and Monday. Book two weeks ahead for a weeknight or take the 19:30 first seating.
Two centuries of dining-room history at Le Grand Véfour, the Palais-Royal mirror-and-velvet salon where Paris cooked dinner for Napoleon, Colette and Cocteau.
Signature: Ravioles de foie gras, Soufflé
Order: The ravioles de foie gras at the chef's prix-fixe lunch.
Tip: Tuesday-Friday lunch is a third the price of dinner and books two weeks out, not four months.
Iñaki Aizpitarte's Le Chateaubriand in Paris invented the modern neo-bistro tasting menu in 2006. A fixed five courses, no swap, runs €85 a head.
Signature: Tasting menu, no choice
Order: There is no a la carte. Trust the menu and order a bottle from the natural list.
Tip: Bookings 09:00 the day prior; or take a 21:30 walk-in slot at the second seating.
Le Cinq Mars is the kind of Paris room a gallerist takes a writer to: red banquettes, chalkboard, an endive salad with Roquefort and walnuts that has not.
Signature: Endive salad with Roquefort, Pot-au-feu
Order: The endive Roquefort salad and pot-au-feu in winter; vitello tonnato in summer.
Tip: Lunch is open to walk-ins; dinner books a week ahead, two weeks for a weekend.
Chez Georges has run the same Paris bistro menu since 1964: sole meunière, oeufs en gelée, profiteroles. Located in 2E. Kitchen leans french bistro.
Signature: Sole meunière, Profiteroles
Order: Sole meunière, gratin dauphinois, profiteroles to finish.
Tip: Closed weekends and August. Tables turn twice; book 19:30 or 21:30 a fortnight out.
