Les Philosophes

We found a table immediately, even though it was Sunday, and the staff were incredibly kind and welcoming. The food was absolutely delicious — even though we weren’t completely sure about our choices at first, everything turned out perfect. Considering the quality and the portions, the prices were surprisingly low. We would definitely choose this place again!

I first stumbled upon Les Philosophes in 2016, when I was living in Paris for the summer. I was just taken by the charm, the staff, and the food and drink, and I vowed to make it back to this restaurant in the future. True to my word, I have dined here every time I come to Paris (six times!). When I was back in town last month, you better believe I came here to have a meal. It was crowded for a late Sunday afternoon, but I waited no more than three minutes before I was seated at a table outside. As a frequent solo-traveler, sometimes getting a table for one isn't always possible. You are either seated near a bathroom or somewhere facing a tree. Nevertheless, they have always given me prime seating, even if I am alone. The restaurant was completely packed, but they made it happen and gave me a corner table outside. The location was perfect for people-watching, having a carafe of wine and of course, the French Onion Soup--my absolute favorite. I'm a creature of habit, so this is my go-to meal. You can't get food like that in the States. I am always blown away by how amazing this dish is. It is truly comfort food for my soul. The restaurant staff has not changed in the past nine years, which I love. They are just as kind and attentive as the first time I dined here. Though there were moments when every table was filled with people, the staff calmly took orders, frequently checked in and genuinely cared about the dining experience of their guests. Not once did I feel rushed, forgotten or ignored. They patiently let me take my time in enjoying the full meal. It may seem like an unassuming restaurant, but make no mistake--it is anything but. I implore you to stop by during your next trip to Paris. Whether it's for a drink or a meal, you will be treated so well.

i ordered a steak tartar and it is okay. the meat is fresh but there is not much in it . it’s €23 and the quantity is small. I am shock to see the comment from the owner and mentioning other country without knowing the country well and in a bad manner. i indeed looked at past review and photos and found out the quality and quality is a lot less on this dish than before. There must be a reason why they downsized the dish. I can comment on this with the restaurant country but i am not going to do that as that is cultural stereotyping.

Great people watching. Fabulous onion soup. I’d pass on the steak frites… fries were good, but both of us got steaks that were not cooked as ordered. My husband loved the country pâté - said it was the best he’s ever had! Give the End of Summer mocktail a try - bright and refreshing, not too sweet. Espresso cake is like a tiramisu and super rich, seemed like it had a liqueur in it. Went back a second time!

We were sited in the back room near the stairs to the restrooms. The place is really small and has too many tables that it makes it hard to walk or get in and out of your chair. Everything was in French and it was hard to understand. We waited like 20 minutes until the waiter came to us and help ya figure out the menu. The food was amazing, we had the chicken curry of the day and the steak with a special sauce and french fries. The creme brûlée was really good. All in all really good food, just would ask to be seated in a different area next time and have better phone service to translate the menu.

Amazing Restaurant with a real authentic French experience! Great food and absolutely amazing service from our waiter Dimitri, the best waiter we ever had! We have been coming back three days in a row now because of the great service, food and wine at Les Philosophes!

Amazing spot for really good French food! They emphasize quality ingredients and home cooking. A bit on the pricier side but definitely worth it if you’re looking for a good meal and the vibe of sitting outside in the Marais. I recommend the lamb, it goes amazing with the mustard they give you. The duck confit was good as well but in my opinion the lamb was more flavourful. The wait times are usually long as it’s a popular restaurant so come at an off time!

My friend told me about this place and it was amazing. The French onion soup and duck confit were a dream and the service was incredible. Shout out to Dmitri for his kindness, wine recommendation, and attentive service. A truly wonderful experience.

As our night was winding down we walked past Les Philosophes and sat down for some dinner. Our server quickly greeted us and offered menus in English which was helpful for us. Food quality was good. We all ordered the same steak frites and the speed of service was great. We sat outside on a lovely September evening enjoying the nice weather. Overall this is a good place for quality food a reasonable price.

Solid place to eat and drink! It may be on the little bit more expensive side for Paris, but not for the neighborhood. The place is ALWAYS bustling with energy. The waiters and the service is just stellar. They're fun, all have personality and give you very good advices. They are also very honest! A dying art in Paris, in my humble opinion. The food is ALWAYS top notch. Fresh, tasty, and intelligent (they know where all of their products come from and proudly tell you stories about the ). This is MY favorite place in Paris hands-down. I always bring friends of mine there when they visit and I have been there countless times and NEVER had a bad experience. This place is consistently incredible. Highly recommend.

We ate here twice on a trip to Paris. I think it it one of the best places in the area and it is worthing giving a try.

We were visiting Paris, staying in an AirBnB apartment around the corner, and someone had mentioned Les Philosophes before we left home, so our first night in town we figured we'd give it a try. Well, it was everything wonderful thing a fantasy about Paris could provide. Loved the atmosphere, waiters were welcoming and friendly, and, oh, did I mention the food? Delicious. You can't go wrong with the grilled cod served with curry-coconut-lime sauce on the side or the French onion soup. And for dessert, don't miss the crème brûlée and the apple tarte tatin, best ordered when you sit down - they run out of it fast.) We never had a dinner that wasn't terrific. Oh, dinners? Plural? Yes, we returned more times than I can remember. And when we return to Paris we'll be looking for a place to stay nearby so we can return to Les Philosophes yet again.

Highly recommend. We are here our first night in town and knowing they didn't take reservations (and exhausted from travel), we came early in the evening to avoid a wait. Our server was an absolutely lovely woman and we felt very welcomed. I opted for the fixed menu and tried duck confit, a tomato tart, and a custard pie for dessert. The tomato tart was absolutely outstanding. I hope to reproduce something similar next summer with our tomato crop! The duck confit was very good. Not at all greasy, though I do wish the accompaniment would have been something a little lighter over fries. Dessert was a custard pie and it was just ok - tasted fine, perhaps just a little stiff, and just a bit underwhelming. This is a really cool restaurant inside with plenty of seating outside of course as well. Feels very much like a neighborhood staple; in fact, a friend of a friend who saw her post about dinner commented that he used to eat here when he lived in Marais. Definitely recommend!

Amazing service and recommendations from the waiter. He truly loved the food and his job. This was our last big meal in our Paris trip and it was perfect! It helped us to drop in as they do not take reservations, even if we waited for a bit.

Les Philosophes is a cafe and brasserie with classic French cuisine and a few global influences on the menu. Our server here was super enthusiastic and friendly and made sure we had a great time! To start, we had the French onion soup, a savory, umami beef broth with caramelized onions, topped with croutons with melted Comte cheese on top. For our mains, the Les Philosophes salad came with lots of mixed vegetables (lettuce, greens, radicchio, endive, carrots, cucumber, tomatoes, olives, radishes, watermelon, avocado), slices of smoked duck breast, Pata Negra Bellota ham, and toasted sourdough bread topped with generous rounds of creamy goat cheese. The Grilled Wild Cod Fillet was served over white rice and vegetables and was on the bland side, but came with a super flavor coconut milk curry sauce. But my favorite dishes here were definitely the Steak Tartare of raw minced Aubrac beef, mixed with capers, onions, and other seasonings; and the Confit Duck Leg, a super tender duck leg with crispy skin--their house specialty! The meat was flavorful and came right off the bone, and the crispy skin was the kicker. Overall, this was a fantastic restaurant with delicious food and great service--what an amazing French dining experience!

Best French onion soup. Quiet place to dine. We came with a big food tour group so, we didn't get to try the other selections in their menu.

We sat outside and had their amazing beef tartare and french onion soup for one of our lighter lunches. This was a great way to do it and would love to come back and try more.

This is a traditional cafe in Paris that I really loved. The food was scrumptious and the atmosphere was nice. We each ordered a combo with a starter, main, and dessert. I got the French onion soup, duck confit and the assortment of cheese. My fiancé got the butternut squash soup, steak tartare and creme brulee. The French onion soup was really scrumptious. It had the perfect balance of cheese, caramelized onions, and beef broth. The butternut squash soup was blended and had a decent amount of ginger in it. It was recommended by our server. The duck confit had a crisp skin with tender meat. The presentation was also nice. The steak tartare portion was very generous and had small seeds. It was perfect with a tiny bit of mustard. The fromage was an assortment of cheese. It was standard. The creme brulee was pretty standard but they put it on a plate with a wider mouth so it bigger surface for crackling. I would definitely come back on a future trip to Paris. It was a great price point for the 3 course meal.

Mmm if i could give three and a half I maybe would. This place is pretty friendly to expats, English speaking people. But e and my friend fully stood there for 5 mins without being greeted at all until we found our friends who were already sitting down at the hidden " other" side of the restaurant. Thé food itself was pretty ok. The onion soup is not the best I've had in France like the bread was soggy portions were small. I got the fake duck confit as part of the set menu but it was lowkey very mid especially the side dishes of the orange mashed potato and the starter of the toast with crème de salmon. Very weird and could've gotten the same for like 3 euro at Franprix. Beware of the bottle vs. 50ml carafe of wine difference on the menu -- the font is very small and cannot be discerned. The water was very good and filtered. The overall atmosphere pretty nice I liked the wooden chairs but the menu, "fake woke" philosophy of Chef Xavier, the weird industrial prison feeling of the bathroom left a weird taste in our w mouths

My family and I came here based on a recommendation from Devour Tours' YouTube video, and we're glad we stopped in! You must get the French onion soup! It came out piping hot, had a wonderful savory flavor, and the cheese-pull was Instagram worthy for sure! The waiter spoke perfect English as well. Would return!

Our dinner with friends was excellent. The chocolate mousse and creme brûlée was the best we've ever tasted. Thank you, Buck and Jeff.

Giving them 5 stars to their onion soup. It was delicious. Service was friendly and it was full of locals.

Great location to people watch and relax with a beer or wine. Nice menu selection with daily options to combine an entree and dessert or cheese plate. Service is friendly and somewhat fast compared to most French restaurants...never felt rushed..would come back if in the area.

Very popular place brimming with tourists and locals alike. Had the duck confit and homemade duck foie. It was all good but non particularly memorable. But good energy with the bustling crowds here.

We came her years ago because it was close to the apartment we rented, and it was the perfect start to our trip. My only regrets are that we were jet lagged and likely didn't take advantage of the opportunity as much as we should have. In addition to the phenomenal location, food and people watching, it's an authentic French brasserie.

The hostess from my hotel recommended this place as they serve authentic French cuisine. Came to the restaurant and outdoor dining was packed, and there were a lot of table inside the restaurant. The owner was briefing the waiter. He is very friendly and polite. He asked me to give him 5 min, so he can finish his briefing. I waited outside of the restaurant. The owner seated me 5 min after and he apologized for the wait. A waiter stopped by my table and I asked him for recommendation. I chose the philosophe menu (starter + main dish) for 27 euro. I picked onion soup and grill lamb loin with organic herbs from Provence. The onion soup has 4 slices of baguette with cheese on top. It was a bit oily, but very flavorful and delicious. Lamb loin was very tender, and lightly seasoned. I can taste the herbs! Friendly staff with good vibes, food, and atmosphere. Will come back again.

A group of us tried Les Philosophes after one of us saw it on YouTube. It was a great find. I give Les Philosophes5 stars because they stand out above other Parisian Brasseries. The food was well above average and the service was attentive and friendly. It was not your usual tourist trap close restaurant. I really appreciated their more eclectic menu, an obvious concern for quality, and general vibe. One basic plus is that their outdoor seating is not right next to a major road, so there was very little car noise. Another plus is their wider wine selection. They also serve 50 cl carafes instead of just by the glass or bottle, which was a nice change. I would have appreciated a better sparkling wine selection, but it's really not that kind of place. As far as food, I started with French Onion Soup, which was as good as any I've had. Then I had the steak tartare, which was tasty. Most importantly I didn't get sick! And finally, I had a cheese plate that was exceptionally well selected. I recommend getting this if you come. If you want to eat at a Brasserie in Paris and don't know where to go, you should definitely try Les Philosophes. Just make sure you're there early to avoid the crowd!

My fiancé and I wandered around Le Marais for lunch and found Les Philosophes. We were drawn into its vibrant energy. The place was busy around 1 pm on New Year's day, but we only had to wait a couple of minutes for a seat inside. Service was OK. Took a while for my entrée to come out, especially since my fiancé had a starter first and I didn't. Typical for a local restaurant though. I got to try my fiancé's French onion soup, which was delicious and comforting for a cold rainy day. I love that every French onion soup I've tried so far in Paris has been consistently tasty but also unique. Their version of the soup was more brothy than the last one I had which was thick and viscous. I wanted the mackerel dish, but they didn't have it. I opted to have the salmon instead. The salmon was cooked well - moist and flaky. I liked the sundried tomato tapenade that it came with, which attributed to the flavor. The dish came with sides of sautéed chopped green beans, leeks, and rice. Overall my meal was totally fine. Nothing particularly special about it, but I was satisfied and content after.

Great food and ambiance. Great service for the right price. Definitely will go back and dine there again.

AMAZING French Onion Soup - 10 out of 10! The staff was wonderful, the Steak was cooked perfectly and the tartare was delicious too! We wanted to go back but they were closed but definitely recommend and will be back! SOUP there it is!! SOUP there it is!! French Onion Soup Fillet of Aubrac Beef with Béarnaise + Fries Aubrac Steak Tartare cut to order Les Philosophes Real Homemade Cooking Paris

Everything in this place is top notch from service to food. The waiters are still in their white shirts, black pants and apron. And of course charming and enthusiastic about the food they serve. The onion soup is a classic French fare and they don't skimp on flavor, onions, and cheese. It is made to perfection. Always good to go with menu/formule. The cheesecake is not American version. It's much lighter with zest of lemon. I highly recommend the duck.

A charming Parisian bistro with fabulous cuisine and attentive staff, in a delightful neighborhood. LD

Good food. Good service. Was recommended by our hotel. Not as good as the restaurant right round the corner that we ate at the night before - Le Trésor - that wasn't mentioned by the hotel! :) We suspected people came for their onion soup - they were dishing bowls of that at a rapid pace - and not so much of their other menu items. Not a bad choice - but we wished we'd gone back to Le Trésor instead.

Best of its kind! This place serves traditional/home-cook French staples. Not much of a fusion, modern, or sophisticated like much of Paris. This place gives you exactly what it feels to be a local. Location is prime, walking distance to a lot of places. Food is goooooood. We got the Pata Negra Bellota Grande Reserve ham, semi-cooked foie gras, beef tartare, duck confit, and creme brulee (all in French accent of course) Everything we had was beyond AMAZING! The highlights were foie gras, incredibly creamy, and beef tartare is cut to order (that means it doesn't sit around cross-contaminating with other stuff) and very well seasoned. This is the best tartare out of all the places we've had beef tartare at. Staffs are nice and helpful. They are willing to speak English, as much as you are willing to speak French, so open up, you will enjoy your experience!

Outstanding neighborhood café near our apartment. Excellent service. Terrific food, all fait maison. Lovely terrace. Don't seat yourself- simply wait patiently near the door, and a waiter will quickly find you a seat. Get the duck confit.

Delicious food and a classic Paris cafe experience in the Marais and at reasonable prices too. Had a delicious veal chop with awesome cooked fresh vegetables and a nice glass of wine for lunch for $17!

They were packed the night we were there, but our food was delicious, if slow to come out. Highly recommend the French onion soup!

Wonderful legendary restaurant in the heart of Le Marais . Run don't walk and have their exorbitant French onion soup and their wonderful steaks.

I love Les Philosophes. Sit outside and try the must haves, beef tartare and soups l'onignon and of course wine. This place is in a great location nice staff.

The onion soup was great, the pâté was so delicious that we bought some jars of it and brought them home. The one problem was the boeuf Bourguignon. There were a ton of big pieces and they were all tough. This was a big problem, but everything else was great. Make sure you have a reservation.

Great food, everything was super fresh and delicious. Truly a gem in a part of Paris that can easily slide into touristy. Great mix of locals, tourists, and people of all ages.

Cool industrial bathrooms. Check em out. And try the onion soup, its a Paris staple & tastes great.

Went here for their French onion soup and Creme brûlée. Yumm yumm yumm! French onion soup, the gazpacho was okay... I've had better. Service was good, our server spoke English and was pleasant.

This is my favorite lunch spot in Paris! It's a classic that I cannot recommend enough. I used to live in Paris, and cannot understand the negative complaints. It's great for the solo business traveler, but also good for families; it's incredibly versatile. It does get a bit noisy, but the liveliness is part of the charm. Their bread is AMAZING, my favorite baguette in the city - they get it from Boulangerie Moderne. The French onion soup is a MUST. The duck confit is always perfection. The Steak Frites is amazingly flavorful, and one of my favorites. Be sure to stop by on your next trip.

Full of tourists and mediocre food. We tried it on the recommendation of a person whose recommendations we aren't going to take again. The service was good, for what that's worth.

Good value. Real home cooked typed French food. I had the pepper soup, the crisp skinned cod in vegetables with white sauce and Ille flotant. Very casual dining and because it is summer, you can either eat outside or by the open window area. You can have a price fixe menu for €20 or €35 or have ala carte. Convenient and you can bring kids.

What a charming little restaurant with a big mission. The food was well prepared, full of flavor, prepared perfectly. We had cod in coconut curry, veal, salmon, onion soup, and watermelon based gazpacho. Our waiter Constantino was helpful, knowledgeable, and possessed a great sense of humor. The owner has dedicated his work to providing greater access to Whole Foods, locally sourced, along with full disclosure of ingredients and sources. I would go back next time I am in Paris.

After my brief camera memory card shopping, I walked around the Marais District looking at menus and places for possible dinner. I wasn't very hungry as it seemed like I ate so much on the plane in a short span of time. I ended up here after looking at the Yelp reviews that were a mixed bag as one might expect. I did not ask for a menu in English--my first dinner in Paris and my first error--and I ended up getting a 3 course vegan meal--well pescatarian in any case. The first course was a salad with whitefish followed by a hearty lentil, bean, and tomato soup, and then some fresh fruit with vegan ice cream. It was a good meal if not a particularly memorable one. The joys of being in Paris and eating at a sidewalk café made up for some of that. The family next to me had a dog with them. I generally loathe when people bring their animals to food places but their dog was well behaved and I didn't mind as much as I normally would have. The place is OK. It did seem to have a lot of locals and the street was very busy with pedestrians, cars, and motorbikes on this Sunday evening.

Best French onion soup and crème brûlée I had in Paris. The ambiance is great, if your in Le Marais lunch or dinner here is a must. Waiters were very nice, it gets very busy in the evening.

Ate here on a trip to Paris and absolutely loved it. Came around 9pm on a weekday and we were able to be sat quickly.

"Excuse me while I dig into my Parisian food pile..." I told my friends as we laughed over the sheer size and decadence of my first meal, on this our first night of this particular visit to Paris. The Les Philosophes Salad was a visual delight that fell into the finger licking, everything tastes amazing with everything category. Advertised as an assortment of raw vegetables, smoked duck breast, hot goat cheese on toasted sourdough bread & Pata Negra Bellotta ham - my choice was made with ridiculous speed. I was mixing bites of things and the whole thing felt wonderfully decadent with the duck breast and unidentified lovely sauce. Our reception late one Tuesday night was almost comically friendly for a group of female tourists. We were offered the corner booth window seat allowing us to enjoy the interior while getting the occasional breeze. Lots of locals and tourists in the mix and the vibe was just this happily chill sort of feel that we loved. Our waiter was sweet, and 100% delivered on the Parisian promise - amazing wine. His suggestion on our pathetic mentions of preferences delivered an affordable 2017 bottle Cote de Brouilly that pleased 3 very different wine drinkers with a fruity/spicy thing going on that worked across all of our meals.

I came here for a quick brunch with my family, husband, and his friend. It was beyond amazing. My husband and I got the scrambled eggs with salmon, which is fantastic if you're looking for quality salmon and scrambled eggs done right. My husband's friend got the full breakfast which he loved, but just a heads up, it is a huge portion. I would definitely split it between two people if I order it in the future. My parents ordered a fruit cup which may have been the most extravagant cup of fresh fruit I've ever seen. I don't base my rating off of service because sometimes it's not the servers fault and COVID has really impacted the industry. Having said that, service was amazing, and they were great. Heads up, the waiter we had wasn't too fluent in English (as he shouldn't be, because that's not his country's language). If you don't speak any French, I wouldn't suggest not coming here, but just be prepared to do some hand charades.

This place is amazing..!! Its one of the best restaurants in Paris. Chicken liver salad was my favorite one. Unfortunately I didn't like my dinner, pork dish. My husband had duck, it was delicious..!!!! Food comes out fast..!! Service was good. its packed.!!!

This place was recommended to us by locals, so we had to try it. The [French] Onion soup was a Souper-Star! I also had the Beef Bourguignonne (beef stew braised in red wine, with carrots, onions, garlic). It was so tasty! My only letdown is that they served it with fries - I was expecting more traditional boiled or mashed potatoes. I'm deducting a star on the food for this reason. The crème brulee was heaven. If you come, please note that they have specific hours for the patio, and you must request your next dish before they bring it to you. That's because they don't hurry you to finish your food. They want you to enjoy and relax during your meal. I would rate the food a 4 and the service a 5. Therefore settling on 4.5 stars!

Came on my last day in Paris. Tourist trap that has great food and drinks. The onion soup was some of the best I've ever had. The vibe made it very evident that it was a tourist trap as you saw a lot of people with luggage and speaking English. The service was outstanding and ironically one of the few places in Paris where I got to practice my French lol the waiter was super cool and encouraged me to keep speaking when I got stuck.

Fabulous authentic French food in a warm and cozy Atmosphere. I would eat there everyday

When we first stumbled upon this place decades ago on our first trip to Paris, we ended up going back multiple times for dinner because it was so good. It has been consistently great ever since. The lamb and fries are killer and the service is always welcoming and friendly.