Chez Paul

We were surprised that 2 girls were asked to sit on the table right beside us. My husband assumed that the place had plenty reservations- we ended the meal and the place was still empty - Why then were we squeezed in together. It was awkward at first but we were glad that the ladies beside us were nice. I guess the feeling should be like a family sitting together and sharing a meal. If the place was packed, I would understand but we only had 3 tables with people . It was weird and awkward. It would have been a better feeling if the food was great to compensate but… The appetizers were interesting and some were actually good like the beet roots and potatoes. But the mains were very disappointing. I had the tongue - it was soft but the sauce was underwhelming. We also had the Pan fried Beef Tripe with breadcrumbs - also underwhelming. For dessert Steve’s apples in red wine. I opted out for dessert. For drinks, we were served currant wine for starters - that was good - and after, we had wine (not good).

Incredible dining experience, I honestly cannot recommend this place highly enough! A must visit while in Lyon. The food was phenomenal but the atmosphere and the experience of the place made this one of the culinary highlights of our trip. The wait staff, Hugo and Pierre, seamlessly plied guests with traditional plates, flitting in and out of conversations in a way that made you feel like a guest in a home rather than a foreigner in a restaurant. We stayed well into the evening and would definitely return any time

What an experience! Get ready to share the food and the table with others, its like a big family eating together passing the food starters and desserts. You only ask for the main dish and they take care of the rest, (prepare to eat a lot). Reservation is needed, its a small place but in a cozy way.

First restaurant I tried for a bouchon. Amazing food from starters to desert. Shared a table with some Lyonnaise people (very friendly) offered us wine. Definitely an amazing place.

Authentic traditional lyonnaise food! Lovely cosy atmosphere with excellent service. Lots of beautiful, tasty food. I had the chicken, it was cooked perfectly and full of flavour. I love the shared, all you can eat style dishes. Great value for money! Highly recommend.

Traditional Lyonaise Bouchon. A bistro like environment where you share a table and dishes. You will meet people. It’s part of the experience. The food was fantastic and it’s a challenge to eat it all. The staff was super friendly and the service was great. Best experience ever. I’m so glad we went. Reserve ahead, all the tables were full, and for a good reason. 10/10, would do again.

Very unique dining experience. Small but cozy. We shared table with other guests and had the set menu with 4 cold dish, main dish and dessert. The main dish are very traditional Lyon style food.

Had a great time! Staff are super friendly and accommodating, food is great and the atmosphere nice and cosy. I’m not a people’s person and like my space, so sitting at a table and sharing food was a bit out of my comfort zone but I enjoyed it.

We are an American couple who had a reservation at this restaurant... the moment we entered, we were turned away immediately. The staff member literally shooed us out. This was our first impression of Lyon and I worried that the rest of the city would be like that. However, all the other restaurants were kind and we had no issues the rest of our visit there.

This was one of those happy accidents whereby you stumble across a great find while looking for another place (a few doors down, that was closed on Mondays). It's been 2 years since I was in Lyon last, and I had forgotten just how wonderful the food culture is down there, and why plenty take the time to point out that the food culture down there is stronger than in Paris. I concede the point :-) You've got two options for lunch at this traditional Lyonnais bouchon. the 19,50€ menu comes with charcuterie and cold ham + beetroot salad + beans, followed by a selection of traditional fare, including the not-to-be-missed quenelle. My friend had the pork belly. We picked the 15,50€ menu that did not include the charcuterie or cheese course, but simply had the main and a dessert. And there was plenty of that...a thick pear/apple compote, some dried plums which had been rehydrated in wine, and a creme caramel. Unhurried, served family style, with simple flavors and good prices. It was a good Monday.

So. Much. Food. SO MUCH FOOD. We got a table, somehow, in this small and packed bistro on a quiet street. The atmosphere is bustling, with waiters bringing jugs of red wine and huge bowls of food around at high speeds. It's hot and crowded, with the sound of laughter and happy chat coming from everyone. We each thought we would get the four course set menu, but in the end we had to give up partway. It's hilarious, how much food you get here. For 27 euro each at night, you get this mix of starters served in big, communal bowls. You spoon in what you want, and in a few minutes the server will come and take the bowl to another table (hygiene! haha). Bowls of lentils, beef and potatoes, beetroot salad, white beans, pickles, various pork meats, and goodness knows what. THIS WILL FILL YOU UP, no joke, consider yourself warned, and while it's good, some of it was a bit unusual and we were sort of suspicious of some of the unfamiliar items. Just be warned if you get the set menu, it's basically unlimited portions of 8 different entrée salads and meats, and you'll need to save room, big time. For our plats, we got hot pork sausage, and pork cheek stew with blood gravy (yes.) Now we're talking. Sausage was gorgeous - thick, heavy, and dense, like a totally different creation to English sausages. You get big slices of it, I think with potatoes, and it was very hearty and lovely. The stew was one of my husband's favorite meals of the trip - he loved the incredibly tender pork cheek and rich sauce. I'm amazed we managed to eat any of it after the starters, but it was all so good, we put in the work. At this point, we had to refuse the cheese course. We did take the dessert, which I believe was also served from communal dishes, and consisted of stewed fruit in red wine sauce, rice pudding, and a crème caramel - the latter of which was the only one we really enjoyed. The communal style of serving entrees and desserts is fun, but we also found those dishes to be less enticing. We loved the plats, however, and would certainly recommend this place for the sheer experience, and for the delicious main courses.

Had a great time at Chez Paul. Touristy? Sure, but with a great atmosphere, very friendly service, and piles of homely food this was a good time. The menu is essentially family style in that they have a few communal tables (shared), you pick a starter, then they pass around bowls and plates of appetizers for everyone to share (pork cracklings, ham, little beans, pork fat in mustard sauce, pate/terrine assortment, beets, herring), then the main, then cheese, and I think some other sweet. This is all done with a few bottle of the very inexpensive house red. Would highly recommend for a fun, easy dinner if you're hungry