We’ve rated Chez Georges as GREAT with three stars * * *
You can find all our rankings in the Restaurant Index
Among all the spots for classic French food that I highlight in this newsletter, Chez Georges is serving the most authentic Old Paris vibes. I’ve never eaten anything here that made me moan, but the food is good and the feeling is great. Decorated with mirrors and maps and old photographs - it’s the kind of look that modern bistros spend a lot of money to recreate.
Chez Georges is now one of our 50 Favorite Restaurants in Paris
I like to come alone, settle into the worn burgundy banquette, take my time selecting from the hand-printed menu, and then be served with kind efficiency by a woman who’s been working here for as long as I’ve been alive.
Whatever I order, I know that I’m going to get a mercifully un-updated and decidedly non-modern take on a classic French dish. The céleri rémoulade will be swimming in mayo. The frisée salad will feel like breakfast with thickly chunked lardons (bacon) and poached egg on a tangle of vinegar-slicked leaves.
It’s a meat-heavy menu. Pescatarians have lots of options, but there isn’t a single vegetarian main. One could make do with an assemblage of vegetable starters and some cheese, but Chez George wouldn’t be my first (or twentieth) choice for a vegetarian friend.
There are four different steak preparations on offer, making Chez Georges a good place to satisfy a steak-frites craving. My personal favorite is the Pavé du Mail, a petite portion bathed in mustard and cognac cream. Adventurous meat eaters will delight in the selection of offal, including liver, kidneys, sweetbreads and andouillette.
Desserts are ultra-classic, and generously portioned. You might share (or not) a tarte Tatin with thick Normandy cream, or prunes in Armagnac, or profiteroles. None of this is going to be the best version you’ve ever tasted, if you’ve had the pleasure to eat a lot in Paris. But it will feel like you’re eating in old Paris, and that’s a feeling that’s harder and harder to come by.
The people-watching - a mix of savvy tourists and dedicated locals - is top notch. And you won’t have to crane your neck to watch them - the tables are so tightly packed that you may literally be rubbing shoulders with your neighbor.
Chez Georges boasts a wonderful location on the rue du Mail, a small street just north of the Place des Victoires. I’m not in the business of planning itineraries, but a wonderful “tourist” day for me might include a morning at the Louvre, a stroll through the Palais Royal gardens (and perhaps a rest in their lovely outdoor chairs) on the way to Chez Georges for lunch, and then a walk through the Galerie Vivienne covered passage on the way to visiting the newly refurbished National Library at Richelieu.
Chez Georges is nothing new, and it’s not particularly sexy. It’s the kind of place that I don’t get to often enough, but I’d be devastated if it ever shut down. I’m thinking of this with increased frequency as more and more restaurants close their doors (I had to remove two from our list of 50 Favorites this month, RIP). If you’re a fan of vintage places and classic cooking, Chez Georges is a gem and should be near the top of your Paris list.
CHEZ GEORGES
1 Rue du Mail, 75002
Open Monday-Friday for lunch & dinner
Closed Saturday & Sunday
Reservations online or at +33 1 42 60 07 11
*they have more availability if you call than you will see online
STILL SEARCHING?
Our restaurant index organizes the restaurants we’ve anonymously visited since 2021 by location and ranks them all as:
GREAT * * *
GOOD * *
FINE *
NOT RECOMMENDED
Our Restaurant Index
On this page you’ll find a ranking of all the Paris restaurants that we’ve visited anonymously since the pandemic reopening (more than 260 at the latest count).
Meg, I love your blog. Thank you for all of the work and insight. I will be in Paris alone in late March. Based on your review I’ve made a reservation at Chez George for lunch. I know this is a stereotypical American question, but do you know if they have menus in English. I’m lost in their handwritten French menu, but I want to go there to admire all of the traditional French options. Let me know if you know please. Thanks again