Le Bistro Méricourt

It is so easy to underestimate this small place. This is not Le Bristol or Tour d’Argent or a place for food snobs, but definitely a place for people who love great food and great value. I did hours of research looking for a place to take our hosts on Jan 12^th during a recent extended visit – I was the only non-​French person in our group but have pretty high standards for what comes out of a kitchen. We were all blown away by the food, wine and service. It’s Michelin multi-​star dining with all the fluff removed so you can focus on what is truly important. The wine pairings were consistently impressive to the point I took photos of each bottle. You don’t order off of a menu because it’s prearranged, but specific requests are honored to the extent practical… One person in our group asked for bread and they politely obliged, but I then realized why they recommended against it… because there’s plenty to eat and it’s ALL fantastic. You would definitely not want to leave any of it behind. You just need to put your trust in this place because you will not be disappointed. We had something like 7 courses and each was an artistic coup de grace with a crescendo of nuanced flavor. Our pleasant waitress diligently gave us a rundown on each course. You can’t help but notice the chef and the whole team in the kitchen which are clearly dedicated and enjoying what they do. The chef is always smiling and you have to believe it’s because they take pride in the obvious enjoyment of their patrons. Nicolas the maître d’ was happy to speak English if I needed it but also tolerated my barely passable French. Plenty of locals and regulars at this place – it doesn’t feel like a tourist spot. I was actually hestitant to write this review since a restaurant can become too popular. This place is an absolute gem and I can’t imaging visiting Paris again without going to Bistro Méricourt. Proof that it doesn’t need to be über-​expensive to be amazing. It is a great example of one of the many reasons I like to visit Paris.

What an unexpectedly wonderful experience. The service was as engaging as the food. My wife and I are restaurant owners and loved the adventure of no menus. Nicolas even went so far as not describing the ingredients until we were finished each course. All the entrees were equally memorable, the tasty little amuse bouche of Roquefort gorgere provided a fun start, the seared scallop atop the purée of mushroom was my wife’s favorite. While mine was the foie gras stuffed pigeon encroute.
As important as the service and food was the pleasure of energy and professionalism both Chef Kebboul and Nicolas display.
An uncommonly great experience
Not to be missed

Amazing food at a great price!
We had a 5 course tasting for 58 euros, and a pairing for an additional 20. The quality of the food there is definitely high, maybe even close to a Michelin-​star-​worthy level.
The menu changes daily, which allows the chef to add a lot of creative flair to his dishes. My favorites were the crudo on a squid ink chip that was an amuse, a lobster dish, and a cod that had a very unique coffee foam sauce accompanying it.
It’s French food so it’s a bit heavy (we struggled to finish our wonderful puff pastry filled with foie gras and beef), but everything was great.
I was able to make reservations easily online, and the staff understood English, so it was great for us as travelers. They do call to verify your reservation on the day-​of, so make sure you provide them with contact info where you can be reached.