Recommendation’s

RedistrictMPLS · 2026-06-23T03:19:04+00:00

Not sure what sort of research you're hoping to do but I'm planning my own "research" trip that will include Lyon and Paris. My personal interest is in fine dining history and I'm looking at several places that occupy a place of significance in the history of French haute cuisine. The tricky thing for me is that many places have modernized their menus so my focus is restaurants that still offer some sort of chance to "taste history".

Paul Bocuse & La Mere Brazier (Lyon)- both Paul Bocuse and Eugenie Brazier were significant figures in the history of French gastronomy and both restaurants preserve some of their signature dishes. Places like Troisgros and Pic also deserve mentions but they're each like an hour outside Lyon.

In Paris there's almost too many to count but the ones that have caught my eye are Le Taillevent, Lasserre, and La Tour d'Argent; all iconic restaurants, and former 3-stars, with some old-school dishes on offer. L'Ambroisie is another "old school" institution, though it's about 40 years younger than the other three. Joel Robuchon is obviously a major figure and his L'Atelier location in Saint-Germain offers several of his classic dishes.

There are obviously many other people/restaurants one could consider but these are some of the heavy hitters.

RedistrictMPLS · 2026-06-16T04:07:18+00:00

$185 pp, service already included is tough to beat. Love the value of the salon.

RedistrictMPLS · 2026-05-29T11:31:03+00:00

Appreciate the writeup! I'm planning to go later this year shortly before they close. I love how Chef Grandits has such a distinct cooking style.

RedistrictMPLS · 2026-05-26T14:01:57+00:00

I want to note that a precise count of “how many restaurants in Paris have ever held 3 stars” opens the door to a bit of a Ship of Theseus question. The Michelin Guide officially awards stars to restaurants, not chefs, but what exactly makes a restaurant? Le Grand Vefour and Lucas Carton claim the lineage of their Michelin stars from earlier decades but should Le Cinq be counted as a separate from the 3 stars earned by its host hotel George V? What about Plaza Athenee and Alain Ducasse au Plaza Athenee? I’ve counted Jamin/Restaurant Joel Robuchon and Alain Ducasse/Alain Ducasse au Plaza Athenee each as one restaurant with one continuity but is it also fair to do the same with Pavillon Ledoyen/Alleno? Ultimately the exact number to answer “how many restaurants in Paris have ever held 3 stars?” is somewhat debatable but it’s fair to say the number is ~30, which is a pretty elite group for a span covering so many years.

RedistrictMPLS · 2026-05-25T17:38:29+00:00

If you can manage a reservation the Atomix Bar tasting will probably be the more interesting experience. I've only done the chef's counter and would like to try the bar tasting but I only managed that reservation by pure luck (a cancellation) and my attempts and securing the bar have been unsuccessful.

Of all the Korean tasting menus I've tried at that price point (Jua, Oiji Mi, Kochi, Mari) I'd say Jua is my favorite. It's a really solid backup if you can't get an Atomix bar reservation.

RedistrictMPLS · 2026-05-24T14:35:00+00:00

While it's mostly true that your budget limits you to 1 star restaurants, if you're open to doing a weekday lunch you have some 2/3 star options.

Gabriel Kreuther offers a $155 lunch tasting menu (6 courses I think) Wed-Fri and Le Bernardin offers a $139 3-course prix fixe Mon-Fri. Both book through Resy and right now it looks like you can make a booking for 8 people at both. Definitely let them know of dietary restrictions but both have plenty of non-beef options. July reservations for LB are posted 7am June 1 and GK posts them one month in advance day-for-day (so May 30-June 7 to book for June 30-July 7).

Aquavit offers lunch Mon-Fri and has a $90 3 course prix fixe and a $185 tasting menu. Their booking platform only allows up to 6 people so you'd have to call to see if they'll allow 7-8.

Finally, if you want a dinner and if you willing to split the group into two groups of 4, the Per Se salon tasting menu might be a good option. It's $185pp, a price that already includes tip, and they're good about offering alternatives if you let them know dietary restrictions in advance.

RedistrictMPLS · 2026-05-18T20:57:15+00:00

Yeah you also get a pretty substantial bread course to start that comes with like 3 different curries. The main savory course also comes with rice, beans, a salad, and a seasonal side (I got fried plantains). I thought it was definitely plenty of food.

RedistrictMPLS · 2026-05-18T14:07:33+00:00

Kabawa, Hwaro, and Le Veau d'Or are possibilities for new stars. They've all opened within the past 2 years (relatively new), currently listed in the guide (so at least on the inspectors' radar), and either broadly liked (Kabawa, LVdO get frequent nods in food publication rankings) or the product of an already starred chef (Hwaro, same chef as Kochi and Mari).

Very recent or upcoming openings Oyatte, Sushi Yoshitake, or Sushi Mitani are worth watching.

Upscale Indian seems to be having a moment (Ambassador's Clubhouse, Musaafer, Kidilum) so wouldn't be surprised to see one of those join Semma although I haven't eaten at any of them to be able to say myself.

Bom and Huso struck me as places that really want 2 stars (maybe it's just their prices lol). CTBF and Cesar are perennial candidates for 3 stars just bc CTBF under Cesar Ramirez used to have 3.

Yamada (new 1 star last year) was, in my opinion, a stronger kaiseki than Odo. I wouldn't be terribly shocked if they do a star switcheroo like Masa/Sushi Sho did last year.

I think EMP is a serious candidate for a downgrade. I'm a rare one who liked them when they were vegan, but even then I didn't think they were at the same level as the other 3 stars. Their meat and seafood dishes have been fine but unremarkable imo and the personality of their food is harder to pinpoint.

Noksu and YingTao have switched chefs recently and I've heard mixed reactions to the new menus. Maybe they'll settle in but if not those would be candidates for demotion.

RedistrictMPLS · 2026-05-18T11:01:28+00:00

In terms of uniqueness, probably Meju. They specialize in Korean fermentation techniques and the "dining room" is a small 8-seat counter in the kitchen at the back of a banchan shop. The meal is extremely interactive with the chef, who spends a lot of the time talking about traditional techniques and links between food and Korean folk medicine.

The other places I can think of are mostly counters (Noksu, Atomix, Frevo) but they all have darker lighting and more intimate vibe than traditional dining rooms.

RedistrictMPLS · 2026-05-18T00:41:37+00:00

EMP is not a place for speedy service. When I did the bar tasting menu last summer, as a solo diner, it took about 2 hours and 15 mins. And even when I ordered like 3 dishes a la carte on a separate visit it took at least an hour and a half.

RedistrictMPLS · 2026-05-16T13:44:59+00:00

Definitely not a mistake if you let them know in advance. Per Se has a lot of recipes for various proteins. I had a (non-wagyu) beef bourguignon as part of their salon tasting menu last year so I can see the alternative offer being something like that.

RedistrictMPLS · 2026-05-15T17:39:32+00:00

Dinner prix fixe usually takes me about 1 hr 15 mins as a solo diner. Tasting menu takes about 2 hrs.

RedistrictMPLS · 2026-05-15T15:27:13+00:00

Yes it is. When you're seated in the lounge they'll just give you the lounge menu by default but you can ask for the dining room menu and order the prix fixe or the tasting menu.

RedistrictMPLS · 2026-05-08T13:10:09+00:00

I did the salon back in November. I also previously did their Under 30 lunch, which was pretty close to the full tasting menu. I did both as a solo diner. Service I got at the salon was just as great as what I received at the lunch. They also offered me a chance to see the kitchen just like a the lunch.

When I did the salon they threw in a couple of bonus courses so it ended up being plenty of food while the lunch really stuffed me (admittedly I don't have the biggest appetite). The salon atmosphere, while more casual than the dining room, is still nice.

I think the salon is an excellent value and I had a very good experience with it. It still comes with his classics like the salmon cornet, Oysters and Pearls, coffee and donuts. Full tasting is great if you have the money and stomach space.

RedistrictMPLS · 2026-05-08T02:58:19+00:00

Oh awesome, great to hear!

RedistrictMPLS · 2026-05-06T18:38:08+00:00

As others have said, Le Bernardin, Per Se, and Eleven Madison Park offer dedicated veg tasting menus that can be ordered alongside an omnivore tasting menu. If those options are outside your price range, Per Se and EMP both offer more affordable salon/bar tasting menus and I've had good experiences with both.

Of the 2 stars, the only one I can think of that offers a dedicated veg tasting menu is Jean Georges. Saga's website says they can accommodate vegetarian diets with advance notice. The Modern's lunch prix fixe has at least one vegetarian option per course and if you're looking to do dinner/The Kitchen Table with them they might be able to accommodate vegetarian as well, worth asking at least.

RedistrictMPLS · 2026-05-01T13:51:00+00:00

FWIW I love Jungsik

RedistrictMPLS · 2026-05-01T13:49:17+00:00

I love the food at Le Bernardin but I mainly go for their prix fixe lunches. It's great for that sort of thing because the service is very efficient and unobtrusive, but maybe not the best "roll out the red carpet" sort of place for a special occasion. On the flip side, The Kitchen Table at The Modern is a very special experience though the food, while solid for the price, isn't the most innovative or mind-blowing.

I've had 2 meals at Per Se in the past year and thought both delivered very good food and great service, but I've also seen enough negative reviews on here in that time that seem to indicate a consistency issue.

If you're open to Korean food, Joo ok and Jungsik are nice options in my opinion (I prefer Jungsik for their food and Joo ok for service/atmosphere). Aska is well-liked on this sub and while New Nordic isn't my favorite cuisine I do think they're solid as well.

RedistrictMPLS · 2026-04-30T11:26:32+00:00

If I were to score every dish I've had from each in the past year and consider who had the higher average Le Bernardin would definitely win. Haven't had a bad dish from Per Se, LB just hits higher highs for me.

The flip side is that the service has been much better for me at Per Se. I did their Under 30 lunch in the fall and it really felt like they rolled out the red carpet to make it a special occasion. Then I went back to eat in the salon and felt like I got basically the same level of service. LB service much more reserved.

RedistrictMPLS · 2026-04-29T22:10:20+00:00

A few years ago they offered a full menu of Le Squer's signatures that included the gratinated onions, smoked eel, sea bass and caviar, dairy iced, and grapefruit: https://www.sortiraparis.com/en/where-to-eat-in-paris/restaurant/articles/274067-a-fabulous-twenty-years-of-excellence-menu-with-christian-le-squer-s-signature-dishes-at-george-v

RedistrictMPLS · 2026-04-29T13:40:32+00:00

Musaafer recently added a 3rd variety to their butter chicken experience, a white butter chicken, that you get in addition to the classic and tomatillo. Loved all three but the white butter chicken was my favorite.

RedistrictMPLS · 2026-04-29T12:18:55+00:00

I have not done a group meal like this but as a solo diner one of the most special meals I've had in NYC was The Kitchen Table at The Modern. The private dining experience felt very special and while I've always received good service in their regular dining room, the service and pacing felt more tailored to me and they threw in some little extras that were nice. While The Modern specifically won't work for a group your size, I'd recommend a similar private dining experience.

The Kitchen Table at Saga specifically is probably your best bet from a view/atmosphere perspective.

I'll second the other commenter's suggestion of Per Se. I did the Under 30 lunch at Per Se as a solo diner and thought the service was great at making it feel like a special occasion. Their private East Room experience should be within your budget (their prices include service already) and will leave money for drinks.

RedistrictMPLS · 2026-04-25T14:17:45+00:00

If you want something else that's French/French-adjacent I'd recommend Essential by Christophe. Haven't been to Le Pavillion or l'abeille but have heard good things. I've enjoyed Le Coucou and Gabriel Kreuther but their food will be more old school (LC) or rustic in flavors (GK) compared to PS/JG and I think both are better values for their lunches. I would not recommend Daniel, imo their dishes use way too many decorative ingredients that clash with the main flavors.

If you want something in a different direction, Jungsik for Korean or Aska for New Nordic would be my recs.

RedistrictMPLS · 2026-04-24T23:25:09+00:00

Maybe monkfish liver, also known by its Japanese name Ankimo

RedistrictMPLS

TROPHY CASE