L'Initial

Warm and relaxed atmosphere, delicious food, spacious tables. Always a pleasure to dine and share a nice bottle of wine at L’initial. Delicious French cuisine prepared by Japanese chef. Great attention to detail, fresh ingredients, everything is delicately prepared. Fix menu with choice for main course. Nice selection of affordable wines, quiet service.

As the meal commenced, the stage was set with intriguing and delightful appetizers, progressing to the fourth course where unique and appealing flavors emerged. However, the main entree and dessert left us feeling disheartened and dissatisfied. Each of my friends and I selected a different main course, yet none of us found satisfaction in both the main dish and dessert. Despite the somewhat steep price relative to the quality and taste, overall, it wasn't a completely negative experience.

I don’t understand why this place has such a high rating. Food was bland and it was nothing special. No one bother to ask me how I like my steak so it came out rare and I hate rare steaks especially when the quality of meat is not that great. I saw the truffles on top of my steak but I can barely taste it. I also didn’t like the atmosphere. It had the ambience and decor of a nursing home dining room.

This is an excellent restaurant with classic dishes combined with a bit of inventiveness at a relatively great value. It is a prix fixe menu of an appetizer and 5 courses. Just the right amounts and the wine pairings are a great match. If you are looking for a convenient location, excellent service, friendly smiles, great food, and nice decor... Then this is your place.

Great service and food quality. This is my first Michelin restaurant. I thought 7 courses dinner will be higher quality than normal restaurant. There is a unique menu. So it is easier for the chef to prepare. The portion of each course are small (even the main dish). There is a good attention on dishware and plates. For 65€ a menu, I was expecting the bar to be higher than an usual restaurant. Maybe I was expecting too much.

The fixed menu offered us an interesting mix of very fresh ingredients. Every plate was elegantly prepared without overdoing it, clearly showing the chef’s intent to favor pure flavours over complexity. Here and there a little crunch could have elevated a dish to perfection, but that is a detail - the price-quality ratio was very good. The restaurant offered ample space between the tables and was set in a rather scandinavian design. Some additional sound dampening would complete it. The maitre d’ had a table to deal with that did not get the concept of fine dining (and were clearly out to get a discount which perhaps is normal accross the ocean?) but that did not throw her off guard, so kudos to her. We enjoyed a very nice wine pairing as well, definitely recommended.

During our two weeks stay in Paris, we’ve dined here twice. It’s the only restaurant we’ve re-visited during a singular visit to Paris. It’s fine dining at its finest, yet unpretentious and zen-like in its dishes as well as in its minimalist decor…and even its mood music. And set in a quaint, relatively quiet narrow lane, just off busy Boulevard Saint Germain. There’s no prior menu. You’ll discover the set lunch or set dinner menu when you arrive. It’s one of life’s nicest gastronomic surprises. Everything about L’initial is just perfect for a delicious and relaxing dining experience. An oasis from very busy Paris at this time of the year. Highly recommended.

Japanese French fusion fare. Michelin guide 2022 at incredibly unbeatable price. 38 euros for a four course lunch +26 for wine pairing. Food was delicious! We had scallops, fish, and mousse. Even though I couldn't eat the 3 options from the main, the kitchen was so kind to offer me an alternative option. Service is impeccable too! Tis is such a hidden gem. Everyone visiting Paris must stop by

We enjoyed our lunch here at this wonderful restaurant. It was off of a narrow side street (walking distance from Notre Dame) and we almost missed it even though we were standing right next to the door entrance! Wonderful service was provided and they made our party of 5 feel welcome even with two kids ages 10 and 11. The restaurant almost feels like someone's living room as it is cozy but elegant. We had the pre-fixe menu and it did not disappoint. Each course was solid and tasty-seasoned well and cooked perfectly. For example the fish was moist and juicy and the crème sauce was delicious. The lamb was wonderful and the scallops were out of this world. My kids enjoyed the food too! We would definitely come back next time we are in Paris. The menu changes seasonally but typically keeps to traditional French cuisine (pigeon pie was also an option for main course). Maybe we will try this next time if it's on the menu!

Such a quaint and exquisite restaurant! My friend's aunt treated us to this fine establishment for dinner while we visited Paris. Food was delicious and presentation was beautifully done. Service spectacular and restaurant immaculate!

I had the price fix dinner. Every small course was amazing. Also they had gluten free bread for me!!! Wonderful find. I'm stuffed !!!! The final course, desert was so delicious. Just the right size portions for a many course dinner extravaganza. Service was impeccable. Ambiance very neat and clean. 7 tables. Could have turned the lights a little lower.

Had lunch here on a Friday and it was just eight of us! Feel like somehow people are really sleeping on this place. I'll preface this review by saying we do not typically frequent restaurants like this and we're traveling from the US. We really love our food and eating out though. We each got the four course lunch menu for 38 euro and I opted for the wine pairing at 28 euro. Started with possibly the highlight of the meal which was these little fried potato balls and chickpea chips. Truly incredible. What followed was a phenomenal appetizer, a fish and protein course (choice of protein) and dessert. A few additional surprises like delicious bread and a second dessert treat. The wines were exceptional (especially the red that came with the veal). Overall, the food was beautifully executed and presented. Relatively straightforward and accessible too which is more our style compared to stuff that is artful to an extreme extent. Service was exceptional, of course. No detail left unattended to. I think lunch here is a must do and an exceptional value.

Why this restaurant doesn't sport a Michelin star is beyond my comprehending. It is a true gem. Go before the get that star and become unaffordable!!! We had a 7-meal course for 58€ and it was aaaaabsolutely delicious and beautiful. The service was impeccable. Attentive, kind, discreet. We've already referred several people there and I hope that more will go. It's a culinary treat for sure. And an affordable one. Please do yourself a favor and go. It's oh-so-worth it.

This is one of the best French restaurant in Paris. Good price with good foods!

My daughter and I are visiting Paris and this restaurant was recommended by one of her friends in Hawaii. Her friend had dined here while she was on her honeymoon this past summer and they loved it. We decided to drop in without a reservation and we were seated right away but I would recommend making a reservation because it filled up quickly. L'Initial has a set seven course dinner with three appetizers, a fish dish and you can pick your entree, we had a choice of 4 items, we both chose the rack of lamb- this is followed by two desserts. The service was wonderful! The food was delicious and the atmosphere perfect. We had a wonderful dining experience.

So far on our trip this place has been our favorite. Really great service on top of a really thoughtful and amazing prix fixe menu, what more is there to say? The wine is good, the ambience is good, it's on a side street that's quiet and not at all touristy. This is the type of place that we seek out in Paris.

The food is created with such care. The ambience and service are spectacular. I will definitely be back here for sure. I feel like we stumbled across a hidden gem. It was such a delight to dine here.