Maxim's de Paris
French restaurant · La Madeleine ·
Champagne, caviar & refined French classics at art nouveau institution
Champagne, caviar & refined French classics at art nouveau institution
"Maxim’s has always been a place to see and be seen, and that holds just as true following its recent revival. The Belle Epoque details are alive and well, with stained glass and gorgeous murals lining the walls behind the velvet banquettes. While these days, there’s more athleisure than opera gloves in the dining room, you’re still in for an astounding show. Tiny tasselled lamps provide just enough light to choose from old-school French classics you won’t find in most modern restaurants, like garlicky frogs’ legs or ethereal cheese soufflé. And tableside service of lemony sole grenobloise or crêpes suzette en flambée only adds to the spectacle of the ever-changing live music offering on the central stage." - emily monaco
"Verdict: A night at Maxim’s is an experience you should have at least once in your life, even if you’re hard-pressed to find a local in the dining room and the French food is silly expensive. There’s something so Hollywood glam about this 130-year-old restaurant just off the Place de la Concorde—from the crush of red velvet and Art Nouveau design to the greats, including Proust and Jane Birkin, who spent countless evenings schmoozing here. This place had all but fallen out of favor until the restaurant group Paris Society rebooted it last year and got a younger, fashion-forward crowd back into the banquettes. If you’re into getting dressed up like you’re headed to prom, listening to live jazz as you dine, and can tune out the English speakers and tourists, this sexy throwback restaurant is it. The menu is built around familiar French classics like frog legs in parsley butter, whole-cooked fish, and Tournedos Rossini, which are all far better than they need to be. Desserts are similarly delightful, particularly the flambéed crêpes suzette which add to the evening’s theatrics and the perfectly baked soufflé topped with vanilla bean ice cream." - lindsey tramuta
"There’s something so Hollywood glam about this 130-year-old restaurant just off the Place de la Concorde—from the crush of red velvet and Art Nouveau design to the greats, including Proust and Jane Birkin, who spent countless evenings schmoozing here. This place had all but fallen out of favor until the restaurant group Paris Society rebooted it last year and got a younger, fashion-forward crowd back into the banquettes. If you’re into getting dressed up like you’re headed to prom, listening to live jazz as you dine, and can tune out the English speakers and tourists, this sexy throwback restaurant is it. The menu is built around familiar French classics like frog legs in parsley butter, whole-cooked fish, and Tournedos Rossini, which are all far better than they need to be. Desserts are similarly delightful, particularly the flambéed crêpes suzette which add to the evening’s theatrics and the perfectly baked soufflé topped with vanilla bean ice cream." - Lindsey Tramuta
"A historic Parisian restaurant whose early-20th-century menu designs (for example, a 1910 example) are cited in a comprehensive Taschen compilation of 200 years of European menu design, making it a notable reference point for readers interested in culinary history and graphic design." - Monica Burton
"Maxim’s is a famous two-Michelin-starred restaurant in Paris where Guillaume Galliot's uncle used to be a head sommelier." - Debbie Yong