Nice little café. Had breakfast here on our way to the Luxembourg Gardens. Quiche was good, but not as good as the beautiful setting. Great people watching when sitting outside. Only gets three stars because the espresso was weak and tasted a bit watered down.
Jen J.
Rating des Ortes: 3 Saint Louis, MO
We stopped here for a big lunch before taking a ramble in Luxembourg Garden. The café is in a convenient spot right next to the park. The food was good, pricey for Parisian lunch, but this was expected given the prime location. Dad enjoyed his grilled salmon(even though the fish was a tad dry). We tried the Foie Gras and the Charcuterie plate with a variety of pates and salami. Service was slow(also to be expected given it’s Paris) but our server was nice. Not a fan of the smokers on patio practically blowing smoke in our faces but that’s Paris. Overall, it was a light meal in a lovely setting.
John M.
Rating des Ortes: 3 New York, NY
There were four of us having one of those summer get togethers on the Left Bank. Our host who lives nearby, chose Le Rostand, one of those picture perfect Parisian Cafes on the edge of the lush Luxembourg Gardens. Clearly this is a Café where you are expecting the food to be as enticing as the setting. Sadly the ambience trumped both the menu and the kitchen. Knowing the culinary choices in many really good Cafes(and this certainly comes with high recommendations) we would have expected a much more inspired menu. The selections were fine but not very varied nor reflecting the fresh bounty of the season. Two of our guests had salmon with pasta(did I miss something?) which was ok but not coming to the level of the reputation nor the price. I chose lamb which was nicely done and served with a ratatouille. Our other friend stayed with a simple Croque Monsignor. The food was average but not great. The pace picked up at dessert. A few of us chose an amazing Tiramisu which we accompanied with coffee. Service, with only medium crowding, was adequate but not offering the usual suggestions or followup. Again the setting, and the cute Café cat, who I shall probably not see again, was wonderful. Maybe this is a place for afternoon coffee and sweets?
Jim S.
Rating des Ortes: 3 Asbury Park, NJ
Stopped there for lunch a couple of weeks ago. Mostly all local folks eating here, sitting outside facing the sidewalk as is usual in Paris. We asked about the fish special for the day and was told it was«whitefish», that sounded yucky. We ended up ordering cheese omelets, big portions, and tasty. But the fish special was actually fish and chips, which looked pretty good. Locals were eating big piles of shrimp with avocado, that looked better. OK if you are in the area.
Kernit R.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Scottsdale, AZ
I usually don’t write reviews but I want to bring up there star rating because this was the best breakfast in have ever had. The croque medam and quiche were absolutely amazing!
Kathleen S.
Rating des Ortes: 4 New York, NY
Not terribly fancy, but surprisingly uncrowded and reasonably priced, given that it is right across the street from Luxembourg Gardens. Nice terrace in front. We stopped here for lunch one day and dinner another. We had nice wait staff both times(it was hit or miss during our Paris visit) and I would definitely stop back next time I’m in Paris. Oh, please let that be soon! Also, their drinks were the cheapest we found on our visit. Gets the job done when you’ve been walking all day and are hungry.
Tobias T.
Rating des Ortes: 1 Clarksville, TN
Empty terrace, 3 waiters, waited 10 minutes, walked up to one waiter, said I would like to order, he said he would come, continued chatting with his colleagues and didn’t come. we left after another ten minutes.
Matt M.
Rating des Ortes: 1 Washington, DC
Food was terrible(barely edible) and over-priced. Don’t be fooled by the initially appealing décor and ambiance. You can do much better a couple blocks away.
Danielle H.
Rating des Ortes: 3 Seattle, WA
Lackluster food, but a great location and friendly staff. We dropped in on our way out for the day and shared a croissant, crêpe and ham/egg breakfast plate. The food wasn’t anything out of this world, but the people watching location was great, looking right at the Luxembourg gardens and runners breezing by in the early am hours.
Fancypants X.
Rating des Ortes: 4 San Francisco, CA
Lumpia(€ 15) on the menu? In Paris? Hell yea if the chef’s wife is Indonesian! A half dozen crispy, well-fried lumpia(filled with bamboo shoots) sat on a bed of mixed greens. The ginger-soy dipping sauce was sweet & sour & had some subtle heat. Loved this dish! Bf enjoyed his beef carpaccio(€ 13,30) – topped with olive oil, pepper & arugula. Located across from the Luxembourg Gardens, this area gets some heavy foot traffic so Le Rostand is always busy… except at 11:30 at night(when we went)…then it’s just a few groups on the patio smoking, engaged in deep conversation, nursing their pricey beverages, wearing fancy fedoras… it’s like a movie… only better because it’s real life.
Mic H.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Paris, France
A really nice place with a huge terrace looking at the Luxembourg garden. It’s a great place all year round in winter time you can enjoy their open fire place(weekends only) and in summer well, something to drink before, and/or after a walk in the park is just great. It’s nice for lunch(they don’t do executive lunch, though so it’s rather pricy) but their lamb chops are really delicious. For the afternoon I’d recommend their tiramisu. One of the best in town(and lots of it). In the evening it’s rather calm and not too crowded quite exceptional for Paris. A nice place to have dinner without being stuck between some other people Down points it can be very crowded in the afternoon, especially in winter So service is a bit slow. Being in a rush is certainly not a good background for a visit here. their restroom is quite awful very 19th century :-((concerning te prices I read many complaints on here but honestly, I don’t think it’s overpriced at all. Many other places at less nice spots(don’t forget Luxembourg is a posh neighbourhood and also a touristic place) are more expensive without serving quality food. So I think, prices are ok, this is Paris, after all. It’s a nice traditional bistro/café I can totally recommend. All my friend I brought here from around the world liked it
Michelle C.
Rating des Ortes: 3 San Francisco, CA
After a walk through the Luxembourg Gardens and surrounding neighborhoods, I wanted to stop by a café to rest my feet. Passed by Le Rostand, which was bustling with people, so I decided to pop in and to enjoy a few moments in the outdoor patio. I ordered one«café,» which in Paris always translates to an espresso if you don’t specify any further(e.g. café crème, café au lait, café leger, etc) and sat people-watching and reading my book. The espresso was nothing spectacular. Honestly, it reminded me of cheap continental breakfast coffee from motels… but the ambiance was very pleasant so I will be forgiving for the weak coffee.
Ti S.
Rating des Ortes: 3 Offenbach, Hessen
Nice for a cocktail in the evening vis-à-vis of jardin du luxembourg. Not the best cocktails in the world but nice to sit outside on a summer evening and to have a margarita.
Carolina Z.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Los Angeles, CA
I enjoyed a really relaxing lunch here after a long day of walking and smelling the parfume du jardin. Friends, sights, wine, tea, and Paris. What more could i ask for? They had a nice mix of French dishes although the décor seemed sorta Spanish in theme. Beautiful restaurant! Elegant yet casual and inviting. Our waiter was nice although he dropped our expensive camera. Ouch! that hurts! LOL I had the French onion soup and espresso. very enjoyable.
Osama A.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Rockville, MD
A great café setting in a fantastic location opposite the Jardin du Luxembourg. Menu selections are limited and relatively pricey, but all the essentials are there and most are very tasty. My girlfriend and I will go there just for their excellent omelette aux cèpes. Le Rostand is the perfect spot to reinvigorate and watch the world go by.
Em L.
Rating des Ortes: 3 Houston, TX
Le Rostand is expensive. I regret not having actually tried anything expensive. I think I chose the second cheapest thing on the menu, which was the crème fraîche. It was THICK. I’ll refrain from saying decadent since my idea of decadent doesn’t entail discomfort, but if you’re a fan of eating nothing but dairy for your first full meal since sauerkraut(if I can find that place I will review it for sure)… I guess you’d like this. I, however, had a hard time eating it, and eventually ordered roast potatoes(cheapest thing on the menu? or was it third cheapest?) to combat the cheese. My mother had rice with grated parsley on top. Unless you’re a fan of eating nothing but rice for your first full meal since fake Asian food(my mother is one) you’d love plain rice with grated parsley on top. I give this place an OK because the menu was bilingual at least, and the waitress was pretty sincere though definitely a bit noob and confused. And I got this great view of the Jardin du Luxembourg’s vine-fested gates. I guess I was a content camper. If you go there, avoid being simply cheap. Splurge and ask the waitress to get you whatever the cool Parisians at the adjacent table are savoring. Because chances are, those smoking, laughing, drinking natives know what’s good about this place, and you – definitely a bit noob and confused – do not.