Everything We Ate in Paris: A Restaurant-by-Restaurant Guide

Paris has a reputation as the best food city in the world, but tourist traps are everywhere. This video from @onlyscrans documents a full trip's worth of eating across the city, covering 12 stops ranging from late-night croque-monsieurs to award-winning croissants. Here is every spot they visited, what they ordered, and whether it delivered.

The Restaurants

1. Fastay

What it is: A single-item shop that only sells croque-monsieurs.

What they ordered: The classic croque-monsieur, plus the spinach, tomato and brie version.

Verdict: Perfect for a late-night bite after drinking or a casual lunch stop. The croque-monsieurs were golden, cheesy, and loaded with melted filling. Described as "magnifique."

2. Chez Alain Miam Miam

What it is: A sandwich shop often called the best in Paris.

What they ordered: Pastrami with French cheese.

Verdict: Compared to Subway, but in the best possible way -- the version of a sandwich shop that actually delivers quality. The pastrami and cheese combination was called "sensational."

3. Marche l'Enfant Rouge

What it is: A bustling covered market in Le Marais.

What they ordered: Oysters.

Verdict: Worth visiting for the atmosphere alone. The oysters were fresh and good. A solid market experience rather than a single-restaurant destination.

4. Tout-Haut-de-Pin

What it is: A boulangerie (bakery) with impressive bread displays.

What they ordered: A plain croissant.

Verdict: The croissant was described as "pure, crispy, soft, salty butter" and "blew my mind." A strong showing for what is supposed to be a humble pastry. The bakery itself looked stacked with quality across the board.

5. Bouillon Chartier

What it is: A classic French brasserie, described as "the quintessential French dining experience." The interior features ornate dark wood paneling and vintage lighting.

What they ordered: Bouchee d'oeuvres (a chicken pastry), steak frites in peppercorn sauce, beef bourguignon, and confit duck.

Verdict: Everything landed. The steak frites was cooked perfectly. The bourguignon was rich with red wine flavor. The confit duck was "spectacular." A full traditional French meal done right.

6. Oeuf-a-Durham

What it is: A kebab shop with freshly made flatbreads.

What they ordered: Kebab with lamb (or chicken option), fresh salad, and flatbread made on-site.

Verdict: An unexpected highlight of the trip. The narrator did not expect to find the best kebab of their life in Paris. Fresh flatbreads made in the window, generous portions, and a cross-section that speaks for itself. Described with genuine enthusiasm: "You need to come here."

7. Le Jacobin

What it is: A traditional French restaurant.

What they ordered: French onion soup, snails, coq au vin, and pork fillet in creamy mustard sauce.

Verdict: The onion soup was cheesy and rich enough to drink all day. The snails surprised them by being genuinely good (though the narrator's wife was not convinced). The coq au vin fell off the bone. The pork fillet in mustard sauce was "top notch." A strong all-around showing.

8. La Maison d'Isabelle

What it is: An award-winning bakery recognized for having the best croissant in Paris.

What they ordered: A croissant.

Verdict: The single highest praise in the entire video. Called "without a doubt the best pastry I've ever eaten in my time on this planet." Given that the narrator describes himself as a lifelong croissant fan, that carries weight. The only caveat: watch out for pigeons outside.

9. Le Philisoff

What it is: A restaurant in Le Marais, a neighborhood the narrator particularly enjoyed.

What they ordered: Steak tartare and foie gras.

Verdict: The steak tartare was "mind-blowingly good," enough to convert someone who previously did not enjoy raw meat. The foie gras was enjoyed before they looked up how it is made. A strong spot for French classics.

10. Suzette

What it is: A creperie serving both savoury and sweet crepes.

What they ordered: Ham, cheese, and egg in a buckwheat crepe; a Suzette crepe flambeed with burning alcohol.

Verdict: The savoury crepe triggered childhood holiday nostalgia. The Suzette was theatrical and delicious. Called "excellent stuff."

11. Le Boeuf

What it is: A meat-focused restaurant. The name says it all.

What they ordered: Ribeye steak with chips.

Verdict: Big portions of well-cooked beef. The ribeye earned emphatic praise as one of the best steaks of the trip.

12. The Viral Steak Frites Baguette Spot

What it is: A place doing the same steak frites with green sauce concept as the famous spot with three-hour queues, but served in a baguette instead of on a plate.

What they ordered: Steak frites baguette with green sauce.

Verdict: The narrator argues that putting it in bread makes it better than the viral original. A way to get the same experience without the wait.

Key Takeaways

• Best single bite of the trip: The croissant at La Maison d'Isabelle, by a wide margin.
• Biggest surprise: Oeuf-a-Durham, a kebab shop that had no business being that good.
• Best full meal: Bouillon Chartier or Le Jacobin, depending on whether you want brasserie or bistro.
• For croissant lovers: Hit both Tout-Haut-de-Pin and La Maison d'Isabelle to compare.
• Le Marais is the neighborhood to stay in: Multiple stops on this list are there, and the narrator called it out as a favorite area.
• Skip the three-hour queue: Get the baguette version of the viral steak frites instead.

The narrator directs viewers to their YouTube channel (Only Scrans) for the full review with prices, bar recommendations, and places to avoid.