Bouillon Chartier Montparnasse

I visited Bouillon Chartier around 19 on a Sunday, so naturally we waited in the line for over 50 minutes. We were with two, so we were sitted in a table of four with another couple, which can be weird if you are not aware of it but very understandable considering how busy the place is. The atmosphere was very pretty, however the food was not so great, if it weren’t for the atmosphere or the affordable prices I wouldn’t say it’s worth the wait at all but if you have time and want a different experience and see the decor it’s very nice. The menu changed daily, and I really liked the desserts, especially the chocolate mousse. We paid around 45 euros for two main dishes with one starter, two desserts and drinks.

The queue is quite complicated, so make sure to ask where the end of the line is, as there are three separate lines. We found a staff member who directed us to the correct one. Staff move people from the front of one line to the end of the next. We ended up queuing for an hour before a seat was offered to our party of three. We shared a table with another party of three who had been in line just ahead of us. The food here is mid, but what it lacks in flavor, it makes up for in price, service, and ambience. The atmosphere is lively, the decor traditional, and the waiters carrying an entire table’s entrees on one arm was nothing short of spectacular. One of the major perks of Bouillon Chartier is the price—£1 for a goopy green soup (which didn’t have much flavor), and entrees ranging from £10 to £13. This is one of those restaurants I’m glad to have tried once, but the food didn’t leave me wanting to come back. Also, I think new cutlery is very much needed. I had a difficult time cutting through my steak with the provided knife, which was so dull it couldn’t even pass as a butter knife.

My husband and I decided to visit after seeing all the glowing reviews and ratings. We arrived around 7 pm and only waited a few minutes in line, but by the time we left around 8 pm, the queue outside was huge. Definitely go early if you plan to visit. I understand it’s a historic spot, but I doubt it was ever this packed back in the day. It felt like a buzzing beehive, great if you enjoy that kind of energy, not so much if you prefer a calmer atmosphere. The prices are modest, but the quality matches that. The experience reminded me of a cafeteria both in the noise level and in how the food was presented. The service was super fast, which made th experience more pleasant. If you come as a couple, don't expect a table for 2, you'll be sat next to someone else at a table of 4 or more. Overall, I’m glad we tried it once for the experience, but it’s not somewhere I’d return to. Once is enough. Total bill: 1 starter, 2 mains, 2 drinks, 1 dessert: €37.

It was my first time at Bouillon Chartier Montparnasse. We waited about 15 minutes for a table (for 2 people), which wasn’t bad. For larger groups, it might be more difficult to get seated right away as the queue can be quite long. They serve classic French dishes — delicious and very affordable. The staff provided great service throughout our meal. It can get a bit loud, but that’s part of the charm; the lively atmosphere and beautiful old-style setting make you feel like you’re stepping back in time. Be aware that you might be seated next to other diners, but overall, it’s an amazing experience.

Bouillon Chartier is truly a piece of Parisian history — a heritage restaurant that’s been serving traditional French cuisine since 1896, and it absolutely lives up to its reputation! The moment you arrive, you’ll notice a lively crowd waiting outside — a sign of just how popular this place is. I had to wait a few minutes to get a table for dinner, but once inside, the atmosphere made it worth it. The restaurant is bustling with energy — filled with chatter, clinking glasses, and the unmistakable aroma of French cheese that instantly sets the mood. I went with my colleagues to try escargots for the very first time, and it was such an experience! Apart from the escargots, we ordered steamed prawns with mayonnaise, steak with mashed potatoes, and duck with boiled potatoes — all cooked beautifully and full of authentic flavors. I was also fascinated to see the waiter taking our order right on the paper spread across the table — he actually wrote down the names of the dishes we ordered there itself and later calculated the total bill on the same paper. It’s such a simple yet transparent system, and it feels nice to see the bill being made right in front of you, knowing you’re charged correctly. The only downside is that the service can feel a bit rushed, likely because of the heavy crowd. Our waiter seemed slightly grumpy, maybe from a long day of serving endless guests. Still, it added to the authentic Parisian charm — this is a place that runs on tradition and energy. What really stood out was the atmosphere — during our meal, someone was celebrating their birthday, and the entire restaurant joined in singing “Joyeux Anniversaire.” It was such a heartwarming moment, seeing strangers come together in celebration. Bouillon Chartier is not just a restaurant — it’s an experience. A little chaotic, a little crowded, but full of history, flavor, and life. Definitely a must-visit if you want to taste true French cuisine in a truly Parisian way! 🇫🇷✨

After a lot of searching on the internet for where to eat in Paris, I chose "bouillon", the best option for tasting traditional French cuisine. Next step: with one. Because there are some for a reasonable and acceptable price, and there are some that are more expensive and much more expensive. So which one is it? Bouillon Chartier, located not to far from our hotel (weather was horrible, rain all the day long) and from comments I understood that prices more than reasonable. So, here we are. As expected there was a queue at the restaurant (and it doesn't matter what time of the day), but fast, our maximum was 10 minutes, we visited this restaurant for lunch and early dinner. Service also fast, friendly (surprise, with their occupancy. Food, what i can say, maybe not a perfect, but good, tasty, fresh, traditional. If you never tasted before French cuisine this is the place for you, you'll enjoy. Atmosphere, loud, of course, but again huge place with a lot of clients everyday non-stop from 11-30 to midnight, you should expect this. Do I recommended, absolutely yes, and be ready for all points mentioned above.

Honestly, quality, taste, ambiance are not that good. We feel like eating in the cantine. Nothing special. We are family of 3 and sat next to other people which is not really that comfortable. We were there for lunch and arrived at 11.45 and no queue (heureusement! Because when we finished and went out, there were long queue😲). The appearance of the food were quite sad actually, very plain… We ordered 3 entrees (2 plate of eggs mayonnaise and 1 plate of 6 escargot), 1 plate of saucisse Aveyron, 1 plate of choucroute, 1 plate of tête de veau, 1 plate of magret de canard and 1 plate of confit de canard, 1 crème au caramel , 1 coupe mont blanc, 1 bouteille du vin rouge Chateau pilet appellation bordeaux contrôlée, carafe d’eau, une cafe espresso … the price all all already included tax 12.5% … however we paid one euro more that we were supposed to pay (paid 92.7€ instead of 91.7))… 1 € is ok but what I don’t like is that they did not use the calculator to calculate the price of the food that we ordered. I Even asked if everything was correct and the server just said all the stuff we ordered was correct but did not show us the calculation nor give us the invoice and just told us the total amount… when we were out, i took out their menu so i wanted to see correctly when we were in the car… et voilà, miscalculated… I know it’s only 1 €, is ok for me but what if it happened to almost everyone who came there, do the math! If the food was good, there might be a consideration for us to go back there next time. But unfortenately, the food is not good… the only thing what was ok is the place itself and the décoration .. The first Time for us but it would be the last time 🙃 p.s husband didn’t take pic of his food Saucisse Aveyron as the appearance was not that appealing 😅

While in Paris…had a chance to try the famous Pièce Boucher, Sauce Poivre Maison, frites. Simply delicious! Arrived around 1:45pm with no reservation and waited about 5’ in a line of 10 or so ppl. Very nice hostess and serving staff. The place is huge! We were seated at the far end of it and enjoyed the “tour” inside this iconic place. For dessert had the La Profiterole “Chartier” which I had in mind would come with some sort of cream inside (just my imagination) but instead was ice cream, still a good end to dinner.

I really wanted to try this place because they advertise French cuisine at affordable prices. However, sometimes you get what you pay for and my experience here felt cheap. I will say that the dining room was nice, but the service was questionable and the food quality disappointing. I was sat at one table and given a menu, and when I was ready to order, they moved me to another table for unknown reasons. I ordered the terrine, 6 escargots, and steak frites, as well as a carafe of sangria. The terrine and escargots were fairly tasty, served with bread. I especially liked the escargots; they weren't the best I've ever had, but they hit the spot. The sangria tasted like juice, but it was refreshing for a hot day. However, the steak frites "piece du boucher" was just abysmal. I'm not a picky eater, but I really couldn't eat it. The meat was tough and hard to cut, and I tried a piece from the end first. It was rubbery and devoid of flavor other than salt. I spat it out and cut a piece from the center instead. I chewed it and it was tough and tasteless. I didn't think I could swallow it so I spit that out too. You can probably tell in the picture, the frites were overdone and dry. I wasn't going to force myself to eat any of it. Food here comes out quickly and I've heard that they prepare a lot of things in advance and just keep them under a heater. That probably works better for some dishes, but definitely not my steak, which was cooked through and rubbery. The herb butter placed on top couldn't fully melt, which didn't help. I sat with my barely touched plate (it had my used napkin and silverware on top) for a while, until my waiter finally cleared it and only asked if I wanted dessert. I declined, just wanting to leave at that point. I finished my sangria and kept trying to get someone's attention so that I could pay the bill, but I was unsuccessful at best and ignored at worst. Finally I got up and asked the man in the suit at the door if I could pay, and he got my waiter to return to my table. He didn't ask any questions about my experience, and I paid full price and left. I was definitely regretful that my meal was so unpleasant. This is Paris, after all. There is much better food out there. I wouldn't come back, but it started filling up after I left, so clearly there are people who like it. I would suggest being careful about what you order, or skip it entirely. A low price doesn't always mean good value.

No disrespect because this place is an institution, but what the actual toots. Let me tell you something. The only reason we dropped in for a meal is because my friend who currently lives in Tokyo was told by her French friend that we should eat here. We came in late on a Friday night. There was an actual line. People were there to celebrate birthdays and I spotted lots of couples on dates. Let me tell you something else. The food here is wildly unseasoned. Like they don't care at all about seasoning. I took one bite of everything. I forced myself to eat the order of shrimp I got myself. We shockingly could not finish the bottle of red wine we got. Not even drunk me could disrespect my munchies. S/O to the locals who were doing the most. There was a group of about 10 people celebrating a birthday out front who got rowdy. I wanted some of that energy. We walked out of this establishment still hungry.

This restaurant is truly an experience. Be prepared to sit family style with others unless you can get a 2 person table. The staff is very nice but they proceed with orders fast! It's a great place for a decently priced meal. The wine is very affordable too. I recommend the Rocamadour cheese at the end of the meal. You can't go wrong with any of the entrees!

This place was amazing. Great price, amazing service, food was delicious, and the atmosphere was amazing, it felt like a big family. It was my first time having escargot and omg I loved it. I begrudgingly said out loud to my parents "I'm officially an escargot girlie" lol

They don't take reservations, it's almost 10pm on a Thursday and I'm stoked that the line is only 15 deep. Why ? Have you seen this place? It's right out of Belle Epoque. And the prices-Holy mother of God-the prices. It's almost too good to be true. The escargot was fine but the shrimp with mayo was more interesting. The main course is mainly comfort food. We had the beff bourguignon, fish with crustacean sauce and steak au poivre. All were good but not great - I'm not complaining Standouts for dessert was the rice pudding its superior - fresh not too sweet . Otherwise the peach with ice cream and profiteroles was ok. Skip the mont blanc. Because it's busy dining here service takes time. Listen if you want to feel like a local and be able to dine at this gorgeous room with prices you can't beat - this is it. We left around midnight and the place was still lit AF.

On one of the not so touristic parts of Paris, this is one of the few locations they have, nothing fancy about it, lots of locals dining here, not sure if this is the everyday Parisian food not bad at all, the only thing that took me by surprise was the beef cheeks that were served with elbow pasta

If you are starving then it's okay. The chicken and duck we ordered were dry. The fish was okay. The escargot was the best item of the day.

This restaurant has long lines constantly, so despite their 3.3 review, I decided to try it out. When we went inside, the interior was quite nice, but the menus were made out of paper and had a lot of markings on them which were very untidy. The appetizers came out quickly and tasted ok but nothing special. The wait time in total was about 15-20 minutes. However, one of my family members ordered the steak medium rare, but when he cut it open (the very outer layer) it was blue rare. We told the waiter and he returned with the same steak, but more well done. When he cut more into the steak towards the middle, he found it was still quite raw and didn't eat. We told the waiter again, but instead of apologizing he insisted it was perfectly fine. Not only was the steak bad quality, but another member ordered the sea bass and when he tasted it, it wasn't fresh whatsoever and therefore, he also didn't end up eating anything. During the time we got the check, despite my family member not eating the steak, they still charged us for it. The experience here was very unpleasant and don't be fooled by the long line. I would definitely never come back here again.

Homey French food at le bouillon chartier! We waited ~45 minutes which was quite quick for how long the line was when we arrived. The host is so on top of it, seating everyone efficiently and remembering the party sizes in the line. The dining room is huge and many tables are for six, so multiple parties may be seated together at a table. The menu is vast with many options. We opted for the oven baked sea bass, pork trotters, pig snout, escargot, and a half bottle of wine. Food was satisfying, but could definitely use a bit more seasoning. Overall, enjoyable and affordable meal with a fun ambiance!

Steak was tough like a shoe, the duck confit was okay. Lacked flavor. Cooked properly at least.

Warning: American review! This place came recommended from our friends in London. I don't know what I was expecting, but it was an experience. We went late on a week night...maybe 11:00pm. We got seated almost immediately with two other patrons whom we didn't know. This was our first hour in Paris, and we weren't prepared for the French menu. We hadn't even gotten our Google Translator app ready yet! The guys we were seated with laughed at us and tried to help us go through the menu. They explained that it's cheaper than other restaurants because they offer meat that no one else wants (sounds appetizing, right?!). We ordered a few of the appetizers because he said, "its basically free" We got shredded carrots, An egg in mayo, A salad (which our tablemate disapproved of), leeks, and escargot. The waiter was running all over the place and we pointed to an entree (chicken seemed like a safe bet) that we would share. Our tablemates again scoffed at our unwillingness to be adventurous. They opted for a burrito looking thing that was stuffed with Pig intestines. We tried theirs. It was NOT for me. And baby cow intestines? This is refused to try. It was on the greyish color and smelled like boiled meat. He dipped it in Dijon, but didn't seem like a fan. He said he was feeling bold and wanted to give it a try, but said he wouldn't order it again. The dessert was good! Some sort of puff with ice cream in it. Overall, an experience to say the least, but very off-putting in my book. Sorry!

Ordered a pollock fish with potato's a beef stew and escargot. The escargot (snails) was a first for me and tasted like mussels with a hint of dirt. I give 'em a 3.5 out of 10. Everything else was bland and flavorless. French food is turning out to be all bakery and no further. The price for the Parisian food is the best in town.

Staff: incredibly friendly Place: dark noisy not for claustrophobic Food: cheap mass product served at room temp or cold vegetables look tired below average for France or actually any other country . For tourists that for sure will never go back there

Such a fun experience while in Paris. You wait outside for a table, are seated in very close proximity, and have to flag down a waiter. Drink a bottle (or two) of wine and go for the desert! Best part of our meal

Déçu... La queue était longue et sous la pluie. Les serveurs étaient gentils, mais je pense qu'il y avais beaucoup trop de clientèle, j'ai demandé de la mayo trois fois et une carafe d'eau 4 fois! Les plats étaient décevants mais surtout le pièce de viandes que je ne pouvais pas couper. Le plus choquant était le pain qu'ils ont réutilisé (il était mou et il y avait de la sauce dessus).

I speak fluent French but with a American accent and I have spoken French as my maternal languages till my parent passed 20 years ago .. I've lived in France .. my Senegal waiter who did not speak English was rude and with attitude that these Americans should eat somewhere else I ordered 1 dozen escargot , two eggs with mayonnaise and the pate de compagne and a half of house white wine and a large bottle of Perrier Please understand I have ordered in French 100 times in France far more complicated request He was making faces and with a brusque manner I could swear that extra salt bb was sprinkled on my food that made it totally un eatable .. if they don't want the tourist trade even if you speak fluent French they should say so American go home sign should hang in the entrance

Less busy than the location in the 9th, but still a short 5min wait for two people at 2:30pm on a Saturday. We were seated before some larger parties of 4 or 5, so it seems seating is based on what's available, and it seems popular to come with groups of people. They do have an English menu available if needed, but you could be adventurous and just try the Menu du jour, which includes an entree, plat, and dessert for under 20€. Everything is tasty standard French cuisine at a great rate and with fast service- and that's why it seems to be so popular for an afternoon meal- especially between service hours at other restaurants. The decor is gorgeous and worth plenty of photos on your phone even though the atmosphere is overall a casual tone.

Walking into this locale and one is inatantly greeted with a warm and grand feel. From the intricate designs on the walls to the welcoming staff it is an experience one strives to have during dining To start we shared the escargot by far the tastiest we've had in the whole city and the cheapest 12 went for the price of 6 at most other establishments. we tried the pig snout salty and with a nice texture. for main courses we had the duck confit which was frankly to die for. as well as frankfurts which gave a nice twist on the classic would happily dine here again by far my best experience in paris, no wonder people line up out the block for a table at peak meal times

There was a line and the place is bustling, but the service was fairly speedy and the food delicious overall. Loved the choucroute!

It's worth a visit. Mass French eating hall with a lot of history. It's a huge place, there is a huge queue that moves quite fast...don't be dissuaded. Try it French, English menus...not a whole lot of selection in the menu. But, it's enough to have a great time. Excellent for large groups, birthdays, baptisms, etc. They are very efficient at feeding and moving people here. However, you are never rushed. Stay as long as your want at your table (s). Great mix of locals, tourists, and wanderers. Watch your purse and your wallet. This place is busy. Prices are super low, wine flows easily. The bread was hard as a rock even with butter on it. This is probably what kept me from giving it five stars. Bread is basic. It should not be rock hard. Order everything at once: appetizers, entree, side dishes. Dessert can be ordered later. Reasonable sized portions. You won't leave hungry there are no reservations. You'll be seated by group size. It's very efficient.

By far the worst meal I have had. The chicken was inedible, the frisée salad was tough with lardons that were soft and bland instead of crisp. Even the pomme frites were inedible - mealy, tasteless, and an odd yellow colour. 3 of us had the steak poivre - tough and bland. The chocolate mousse was also terrible. Several years ago this was a different restaurant- the Montparnasse 1900 - it is still a beautiful restaurant, but you'd be better off going to McDonalds.

We went thinking this place was going to be great because of the long lines we saw every lunch time and dinner time. So we decided to try. We both ordered the steak and fries. I order mine medium rare and my fiancé medium well. The steaks came out looking good but they where both cooked medium rare and both where super tough and chewy. It was even hard to cut with the steak knives. The worst steak I've ever eaten in my life from anywhere and I'm not even exaggerating. And I've eaten at some not so great places before. The fries were ok but lacking salt. The soup was decent. The service was standard for France. The wine also was good but the wine glass had a crack in it. The place looks nice inside and the outside lights might be what attracts people and tourists. I hope this isn't somewhere where the locals go and think the food is great. Or maybe it is good but we just happened to both get the worst cuts of steak ever. Oh and the free bread was even kinda bland. I also ordered cheese but it never came out but was still charged for it. Try any other place on the block but stay away from here.

I was surprised to see there wasn't a line! Not even a person. We ordered pig trotter and fries. It was ok because it was a bit too salty for my liking. The beef stew was good. I liked the beef but most of the veggies were tasteless and there was no stew to the beef stew!! Service was good. The room was pretty crowded. This restaurant looked fancy and we went during lunch time!

$34 for 2 plates of poorly cooked chicken and expired vegetables with brown lettuce..

Absolutely loved our meal, totally worth the wait (which despite the long line, didn't actually end up taking more than 20 minutes to get seated). The steak frites is hangar steak, and with the pepper sauce, was so so so delicious. Service was fast and professional. But the real reason to go is to experience a beautifully restored art nouveau space with traditional, reasonably priced French food. This was recommended to us by a French couple and we were so glad we went. Had aperitifs, appetizers, entrees, a bottle of wine, coffee, and desert, all in a beautiful space, and with great service for $75!