Verjus

I went to the cave below the main action & had incredible wine, cheese & chac. The space is gorgeous.

Fabulous. We got the tasting menu — customized for vegetarians — and the wine pairing. Everything was exceptional, including friendly and knowledgeable service without a touch of pretense. One of the best meals we have had! Of course, we don’t normally spend 100+ a person (it was 60 EUR for just the food) but we are so glad we did!

Verjus is both a restaurant and quaint little wine bar owned by American ex-​pats. This review is just for the wine bar.
I first heard about it in a Bob Appetit article and then was reminded of it when watching my fav Aisha Tyler on Esquire’s «The Getaway.» Aisha loved this spot of an apertif, and I totally support this use. So I’m keeping it quick a dirty with pros and cons:
Pros:
— The Fried Chicken… oh the fried chicken. It was so nice, we ordered it twice. It’s perfectly fried and seasoned with a hint of heat and served with a nice crunchy slaw.
— Excellent selection of wines.
— If you’re an English-​speaker, you’ll be in luck. The owners are American and are happy to help!
— Love the selections of rotational cheese with confiture. I cannot get enough.
Cons:
— It’s tiny… oh is it tiny! It’s not really a good place for groups or to hang for long periods of tiem. In part it’s because the chairs are small, your space to hang are small…(even for Paris standards), and the plates are small. It’s truly perfect for cocktail hour to be followed by dinner.
— It’s really popular, so it may be tough to get in the first time.

Better than the best. Braden and Laura make up for all the bad things in the world. There’s rarely a day I don’t crave the fried chicken, the Sancerre, and the pleasantries exchanged in the wine bar on a chilly Winter evening.

This was a cool little spot tucked away near the Louvre. It seats about 35 people so make sure you have a reservation. It’s a fixed tasting menu but everything was good. A must have is the fried chicken. That is served in the tapas menus downstairs in the wine bar. You can have a drink prior to your dinner and order it or request it as part of your main course. All in all really nice spot.

We ate downstairs at the wine bar. I definitely recommend getting there early, since there is not a lot of seating and by 9 it was completely packed. We came for valentines day, so I was hoping there would be tables like Frenchie Bar à Vin (I can’t help but make the comparison). It wasn’t the most ideal for a romantic meal, though the food made up for it. I don’t remember everything we chose, but I recall a gnocchi, fried chicken, a meatball, and the brownie for dessert. Everything was really good, though I felt a few of the plates were missing a little something. Regardless, I can’t wait to go back to try their sandwiches during lunch.

Handydandy Unilocal Paris has pointed us in the right direction to Verjus! My bf and I were searching for a restaurant that would WOW us for our last dinner in Paris. Call in advance to make dinner reservations because we did not and the only opening was at 9:45pm. So we opted for the wine bar downstairs, which serves tapas. At first I was a little bummed about not being able to dine at the restaurant upstairs, but the wine bar was FANTASTIC! Here’s what we ordered, with the best being at the top of the list.
1. The GNOCCHI was to die for… the pieces were small and ever-​so-​slightly crispy on the outside.
2. The SPICY FRIED CHICKEN (yes, we order manfood staples when my bf is with me) was so juicy on the inside yet crispy on the outside. The chicken was bursting with flavor.
3. The FLANK STEAK with CHIMICHURRI sauce was surprisingly tender and flavorful. 4. We also had the CELERY ROOT GYOZA.
This was hands down the best food that we had in Paris. I can only imagine what the upstairs restaurant serves! The bartender was super cool and was helpful in recommending wine pairings with our food. She poured samples to make sure that we were happy with our wine selections. She also speaks perfectly good English if you’re wondering! Thank you Unilocal for helping us pick out a fantastic restaurant to end our week in Paris. Merci beaucoup!

I’ll start off by saying that I would give this place at least 4 stars if I wasn’t so confused about the restaurant (upstairs) and the very small wine bar (downstairs). I found this place on Unilocal (and it even turned up on CNN’s best 10 dining of Paris). Every picture I came across was of the buttermilk chicken. I even saw the full bar menu with a small mention of a tasting menu at the bottom. I promptly made the reservation so I could treat my boyfriend to his birthday dinner while on our Paris trip. We arrived on time to the restaurant only to find that 7 course tasting menu is upstairs where we were initially seated with the bar (or in my opinion more desireable small plates that I came for) downstairs with no reservation needed. After about 10 minutes of back & forth with the server on my confusion (which she made it seem like it was my fault) we finally were allowed to go downstairs. It’s not like our table would not quickly be filled even on a Monday night. Thankfully two bar stools were available where we could enjoy a la carte menu at half the price since the tasting menu was 60 euro pp. But the bar is small, maybe 10 people max could comfortably fit in and get a seat! Get the hushpuppies! I’ve never tasted something so yummy. I would also recommend the fries, boyfriend enjoyed bone marrow. I had the chicken, it was okay. The Renaissance red wine was delicious. I guess it was all the hype and build up and frustration that made me like this place just a little less. However I would probably return there if in Paris again.

I ate only in the very tiny wine bar downstairs, but it was excellent the two times I visited. Had a wonderful 2012 Domaine Vacheron Sancerre, celery root dumplings w dan-​dan sauce, chives & toasted peanuts, buttermilk fried chicken w napa cabbage slaw & micro greens; loved the flavors! Another time I tried the Joe’s shoestring fries w togarashi & catsup. Never had togarashi (Japanese chili pepper) before but I am a convert! It added a nice spicy kick to the fries. The bartender, Laura, was wonderful.

We have been here a few times because I love the ambiance of the wine bar tucked away in a corner of ‘Palais Royal’.
First off, after 7.30pm, you won’t get a place, but at 6pm it will be empty. Best to come around 7.15 to grab a seat at the bar or on a stool agaisnt the stone wall. Clientele is very american. This is the only issue I have with this place, but the owners are american so it is not hard to imagine the clientele would be also. I like hearing english as an expat myself, but this is a wine bar filled entirely with expats and I do like sitting in a bar listening to the French.
Their wine by the glass ranges from 6 – 9 €, they have 3 or 4 types of red and white, it is nice to try a selection, or you can order a bottle.
Owner, who tends the bar, is very nice, great to have nice service in Paris!
Their ‘tapas’ style menu is creative, and delicious. Crispy chicken is so yum, pork belly I love. I wasn’t too keen on their shoestring fries, too crispy and REALLY shoestring. I had a great clam dish the last time I was there that wasn’t there before, their menu seems to change slightly every now and again.
You can come out from a nice evening for 2 for 30 € after sharing a bottle and 4 plates. And you will be as full as if you ate in a restaurant.
I would go back here, I just hope it gets a bit more popular with the french crowd.

Verjus has been a regular favorite since we moved to Paris in late 2011. Their tasting menu changes seasonally and is always creatively delicious and their suggested wine pairings are fantastic. I frequent the wine bar with friends, and almost always take guests in town to Verjus. Great ambiance; fantastic and fresh food; amazing location (why not take a stroll through Palais Royal to the Louvre after dinner); and always a fun time.

This a review for the wine bar downstairs and not the restaurant.
Last night, I celebrated one of my friend’s birthday, Diane! We had bar bites and plenty of wine at Verjus, an adorable restaurant and wine bar owned by a couple from Seattle. We ordered everything that was on the bar menu and I felt like I was back home in San Francisco. The food was modern with elements of Asian fusion and just totally reminded me of something I could find in the Bay Area.
Verjus has the most amazing fried chicken. Seriously, the chicken is so tender and batter has got a great crisp to it. I’m guessing they put plenty of baking powder in the batter to give it that perfect texture. I also LOVED the shoestring fries. Again, it was like a mini love affair between me and the fries. Normally, shoestring fries are cooked to a crisp and are just like julienned potato chips. But at Verjus, they’re crispy, but the potatoes also have a nice consistency. Wait, don’t let me forget about the chicharrónes. Chicharrónes are basically high-​end pork rinds, but Verjus serves them piping hot (THEY’RE ON FIYAH) with smoked curry mixed in. Talk about a flavor blast!
Verjus has a restaurant upstairs with a 60 euro tasting menu. The menu is different every day because they use seasonal, local produce. After trying all the bar food, I’m adding that on my checklist of places to eat. I loved the cute atmosphere and friendly service. I highly recommend Verjus and I thank Diane for introducing me to her favorite place in Paris!
A few photos are posted on my blog:

Great wine bar with amazing food! Pricey, but worth the splurge.

(The wine bar area)
YUM. Love the concept, love the food!
It’s a tapas type place, meant for snacking & drinking, so make sure you’ve had a bit to eat before; otherwise, you’ll still be hungry when you leave… or end up forking over a very large bill.
Downside: not enough space! Don’t plan on going with more than 4 people. I think it only holds about 10!
Must try: buttermilk fried chicken, duck, and the broccoli.

Dinner was astonishing. The restaurant is located on the outer corner of rue Montpensier and rue Beaujolais (basically at the end of Montpensier). It is a two level affair with a small wine bar on the bottom and seating for 25 or so upstairs.
The dining room (just opened) has corner windows because one side of the building (not the street) faces the elevated walkthrough that goes from Montpensier to rue Richelieu. This configuration presents a unique sensation of being perched above the street on one side — looking over the Palais Royal Theater, and at the same time being at street level as passersby travel the walkthrough. Between the candles, ambient streetlight and low-​level halogen spots, the lighting in the dining area was perfect. The tables are natural wood and the chairs are an eclectic mix.
We all got the chef’s menu of 6 items. Each dish was unique and imaginative with flavor combinations both unexpected and appreciated. The meal consisted of:
Smoked eggplant, crème fraiche semifreddo, beetroot, rye, ponzu
Poached egg, grilled mushrooms, wild rice, dandelion greens
Skillet cooked trout, radicchio, grapefruit, potatoes, buttermilk
Duck breast, red cabbage, ravioli, smoked celeriac, rye, orange
Grilled Basque port, semolina gnocchetti, pajori, apple labne
Buckwheat cake burrata, chestnut honey, marinated cherries
or
Toasted oat ice cream, chocolate mousse, coffee streusel, pineapple
Extras:
Cheeses from maison Hisada (Hisada is a «growing in popularity» local cheese monger)
The chefs menu runs 70 €. A slightly smaller menu runs 55 €. Add 50% for wine pairings added on — which we did. Having someone knowledgeable figure out the right combination made the flow of cuisine and conversation easier to enjoy and I recommend it. High points for me: the smoked eggplant, duck and Basque pork. Plus, I can’t even describe the toasted oats ice cream desert — wow.
Service impeccable.
I’m glad I came to Verjus now. The restaurant is at a time and place where inspiration and hard work come together. Chef Braden Perkins and Laura Adrian combine great food with great wine and great hosting — it’s a winning combination.

Cute, cozy little wine bar with yummy small plates (we ordered one of everything — particularly loved the chicken and the dumplings). Service is helpful and friendly, and there is a particularly pleasant/​relaxed atmosphere about this place — we even ended up sharing a bottle of wine with another couple we met there.
Will be back next time I’m in town!

The wine was great and the food was delicious. We got the shoestring fries which were alright and the buttermilk fried chicken which was great. Then we went for a second round with the cheese plate and the butterscotch buddino which was AMAZING. Very sweet and rich but with deep flavors and the whipped cream on top was salted which helped to balance out sweetness and really made your mouth water.

This wine bar is tiny and awesome. They are expanding upstairs when they open their restaurant, but for such a cramped spot, it has a pretty relaxed vibe. Reminded me of something you’d find in NYC.
There is a small menu of bar snacks and a fairly short list of wines by the glass — I’d say both are actually kind of the perfect length for the venue. I loved the clams and the fried chicken (which was more like fried chicken bites, so easy to eat). I wasn’t blown away by the celery root dumplings, which is saying a lot since I have a weird obsession with celery root. They just didn’t have as much flavor as I was hoping for. I liked all the wines I tried, and the bartender was really helpful in directing me to wines I would like.
As a side note, a lot of English is spoken here. I don’t know if that makes it feel less authentically «Paris» or just plain refreshing at the end of a week of lots of French.