Everyone, I will be in Paris France March 21st thru the 28th. Where are the best places to eat or good places to people watch? I will be traveling with some family but wanted some advice and recommendations. Thanks.

This is actually a difficult question to answer because there are so many truly excellent bistros, cafes and restaurants in Paris. In my travels, I've never had a bad meal in France -- ever [maybe I'm just lucky]. However, I haven't been in Paris for over 6 years and even at that time, many of my old haunts in central Paris were rapidly losing real estate to American fast-food franchises.

Disclaimers: I never play the lottery; I claim to be of no help whatsoever.

One idea:

Approach eating from a historical angle. Do you have any artistic or literary muses? Find out their Parisian cafes of choice. Chances are, one or two of those spots are still in business such as Les Deux Magots, Cafe Procope and Restaurant Polidor. Some of the notables on the walls might include Hemingway, Isadora Duncan, Gertrude Stein, Edith Piaf, Picasso, Sartre, Camus and Henri Rouseau [I'm sure there's probably a misspelling in one of those names somewhere]. The Moulin Rouge was Toulouse-Lautrec's old stomping ground but it is pretty much a tourist trap now. Le Lapin Agile Cabaret uphill from the Moulin Rouge still performs cabaret and marionette shows. Sounds corny but they are actually quite clever, artistic and a bit naughty especially after a couple of kirs and a few red wines.

Lesser-known traditional bistros are an easy find in Montmartre, Pere Lechaise and Les Halle neighborhoods. Also around Pere Lechaise [in the 20th arrondissement] there are now a lot of newer [i.e. the past 10 years] restaurants specializing in West African, Moroccan, Spanish and Asian fare. Many times, you will find recent immigrants gathered in these spots. If so, then consider the food authentic, good, and in its own way quite French.

Word to the wise: if you are female and you have not yet perfected a certain plié over a hole in the ground, be sure to use the girls' room before you leave the hotel. Also, do say Bonjour to the clerk, hostess or tobacconist as you enter any establishment, Pardon before asking a question, and Merci upon leaving. It's a French thing.

Enjoy your trip!

Eat everywhere! I went to Paris in May 06 and stayed in an apartment off of rue des Lombards and boulevard Sebastopol and just walked and ate. I would try to avoid the places that have the "special board" outside with meal deals - those are pretty touristy and the quality is not there.

Enjoy!

Sing, looking for the best Bistros, L,Ami Louis, the best Foie Gras and Roasted Chicken with Garlic Hash Browns, and the latest just written up in the New York Times, L,Ami Jean, a place for traditional food lovers.Let me know how it was if you visit these Bistros.

check the February issue of Food and Wine There is a great article in there about a chef who owns a hotel and restaurant.That reservation will not be something you will be able to get ( you have to get it months in advance.) It is a good article though, not only because of the recipes, but it mentions some other really good bistros in Paris to check out.

Thanks for all the help. I will definetly check out these places.

I had the best meal of my life at L'Arpege (At $750 for lunch for one, I hope so). I still have dreams about the raw lobster carpaccio with osetra caviar and cream. My attempts to recreate it at home still fall short, and I can't go to places like L'Arpege more than once a year $$$$.

I enjoyed the Latin Quarter for sitting with a drink and watching the people go by.

The best bet is always to find a knowledgable local and ask where they like to go. This can be a bit tricky in Paris as most "in the know" will be extremely concerned about their favorite place becoming swamped with tourists, especially "God forbid" American tourists. Saying up front that you want to find a secret place, and that you will not tell anyone about it, might help...I must try this next time I go to Paris.

Hi there, I heard of a place called Dans le Noir, dont know exactly where it is but they have a web page. I heard its pretty cool, but it is all in the dark, you pick your menu before you are seated and you call your waiter by name when you want him, apparently there are surprise menus to choose from too, its all about heightening your senses, I would say its quite an experience and great fun! Im going to Paris myself for Honeymoon in September so may try it out myself.

sounds cool. like to hear about the experience if you get there.

Everyone thank you for your help. I think i will definetly check out Dans le Noir. I'll let you know how it goes.