I think I’ve said before that I don’t like writing negative reviews. My theory is, there are so many great restaurants, why focus on the bad experiences? But sometimes there are meals so unpleasant they stick in my craw, refusing to leave until documented. My dinner last Monday at Frenchie Bar à Vins was one of those meals.
My husband and I arrived at 6.50pm and joined the long queue waiting for the restaurant’s doors to open. The crowd was completely Anglophone and very friendly — as we Anglophones tend to be — with strangers striking up conversations about their recent Paris travel experiences. At 7pm, the doors opened and everyone was seated at long communal tables of six or eight.
We waited about 25 minutes for our order to be taken, but I didn’t really mind. The staff was small — two serveurs? — the dining room crowded and, in the rhythm of a Paris restaurant, it’s not unusual to wait for attention. Eventually, we placed our order for truffle mortadella (€14), white asparagus with a poached egg (€14), tortelli with peas (€12), cod (€17), and a glass of Alsacian pinot noir (€9) for my husband.
The mortadella came out first and was almost as good as I remembered, heady with the scent of truffles (though lacking the decadent truffle shavings of my last visit) and scattered with tiny pickled girolle mushrooms. The tortelli emerged next, a small saucer of mint-scented, goat cheese-stuffed pasta. As we waited for our next dishes, I began to pick up on the kitchen’s system — it seemed to be producing only one type of dish at a time. For example, all the plates of squid “coleslaw” were prepared at once and delivered in a flood. Same with the pigeon. Same with the lamb. Same with our asparagus, which arrived nicely grilled, topped with melted cheddar cheese, a quivering egg nestled beside it. It was pleasant and tasty — though I found the cheddar a bit of an odd overkill — a dish I could have made myself at home.
As we waited for the cod, I watched Frenchie’s chef/owner, Gregory Marchand, mingle among the diners, pausing for photos.
Eventually plates of cod began to emerge from the kitchen. Cod here, cod there, cod everywhere. Except for us. We waited — I’m used to waiting in Paris restaurants — in fact, we waited so long our waitress finally approached us to ask if we wanted to order anything else. “We’re still waiting for the cod,” I told her. She blanched a bit and disappeared into the kitchen. A few minutes later, the other waiter told us the cod would take at least ten minutes to cook: “Do you still want it?” he asked. In retrospect, I realize this was a sign. But I was still hungry — we had shared everything, so my dinner had thus far consisted of: a few slices of mortadella, two ravioli, two stalks of asparagus, and half an egg — and we agreed to wait. The waiter offered us a glass of wine as “un geste.” My husband accepted; I could not.
I’m not going to keep you in suspense. It took an hour for that plate of cod to come out. One hour from my last bite of asparagus to my first bite of cod. It took so long that we actually paid the bill while waiting.
And here’s the kicker — the cod, when it finally arrived, was raw.
At this point, I’d had enough of Frenchie Bar à Vins. I told the waitress about the raw fish — she asked if we wanted the kitchen to remake it, to which I could only emit a hollow laugh — and as we left, I told the waiter, too. He wanted to offer us another “geste,” but I just couldn’t sit in that stuffy dining room and allow the high stools to cut off the circulation to my legs any longer.
Later, my husband pointed out that we were the only French-speaking customers in the entire restaurant. And that’s really why I’m writing this post. Because it kills me to think that tourists come to Paris with high expectations, queue up at Frenchie wine bar, and spend a fair bit of money on pleasant but nondescript, sloppily served food. Perhaps it was just an off night. Other friends certainly love the place. But as we walked home, I saw evidence of Frenchie’s colonization of the rue du Nil — wine bar, restaurant, take away shop — and I began to suspect that Frenchie is a victim of its own success, expanding too quickly while neglecting the details. Unfortunately, the devil is in the details.
But let’s end on a positive note, d’accord? Here are a few other wine bars that I’ve enjoyed:
Au Passage
1bis Passage Saint-Sébastien, 11e
Vivant Cave
43 rue des Petites Ecuries, 10e
Verjus Bar à Vins (wish they’d give you real forks, though)
47 rue de Montpensier, 1e
Le Verre Volé
67 rue de Lancry, 10e
(Photo from eat live travel write.)
Ann that is really too bad – I have dined a few times at the wine bar and it’s been great – never in the renovated, larger space though. I was at the restaurant proper last night and our meals were excellent – was going to go back to the wine bar later this month but would be sad to go and have an experience like this one. Victim of its own success? Sounds like it. It’s too bad – hopefully it was just an off night but this makes you wonder….
Thank you for posting this honest review, especially since this wasn’t your first visit. That seems to be the way things unfurl, don’t they? Success, notoriety, expansion, degrading quality. Hoepfully they can correct their errors before the Anglos take to Trip Advisor.
WOW! What a terrible experience you two had. I shuddered a few times reading this.
I have been waiting for an honest post about Frenchie for a while now. I didn’t have the best experience when I went last year, and kept it to myself. I assumed that it was also an off night, or perhaps that it was just me, and didn’t “get it”.
Thanks for this candid post, Ann. It will be useful for travelers coming over and expecting a better dining experience.
Ann, your review was actually mild, compared to some others, including mine. I have never in my life been treated as rudely as in Frenchies from the time I made reservations to when I left. I could tell you horror stories from others that’ll curl your hair. Now they’ve got what 2 or 3 seatings; turning tables faster than McDonalds, all Americans or English speakers. I stay away from there, I’ll leave it for the tourists. Rhere are so many other places that treat you well. I love the food in the 13eme, 14eme and 15eme, and even some of the ethnic neighborhoods because that’s where real Parisians eat, no English spoken!
I’m not sure why but I haven’t been very tempted to get to Frenchie, and partly I was also waiting for the fuss to die down a little, but after reading this honest account from you, I’ll wait for a bit more and see if things get better.
Thank you so much for this review! I am so tired of reading praising ones about Frenchie. I can’t even understand how people find natural to go at 6.50pm at a restaurant just to get a seat as in France we normally eat at 8.30pm. So it’s mostly for tourists. Who’ve been reading only praising reviews about this place and find natural such a crappy service.
I’m so ashamed…
Don’t be ashamed, Feeltheair! Bad restaurants happen everywhere. But it IS sad when places don’t live up to the hype. I’ve now been to the Frenchie wine bar twice and the actual restaurant twice. The latter was good both times; the former was good the first time and lousy the second. Mediocre food, pitiful service (apologies and gestes are nice, but there’s nothing like getting it right the first time). Maybe Gregory Marchand needs to spend more time running the kitchen and less time schmoozing.
Yay, Ann! Anyone who reads you on anything of a regular basis at all knows that you are not mean spirited. And a heads up after such a wack experience is warranted. You know that I shout it out from the hilltops that every restaurant on our Place du Forum save one (Chez Caro) is serving frozen food for the same reason–there are plenty of “real” food and friendly service places that warrant the Euros that many tourists have worked hard to save in order to be here…
Thank you, Ann, for your honest review. I tried a few years back to get into the main restaurant, just before the wine bar opened. I tried to call for two solid weeks from LA for a reservation during their designated timeframe, which, for me required getting up quite early for the call. Never got through.
A good friend, who did get in to the main restaurant by going at 6:50, suggested I try that. I took a taxi, which I don’t normally do, and it took me an hour in traffic and a good 30€ because the driver couldn’t find it.
I finally got there at 6:50, only to be curtly turned away because I had no reservation and “needed to call” I explained to the woman (American or Canadian) that I tried for two solid weeks but could never get through. Her response to me…”we get 200 calls per hour…sorry we can’t seat you, good night!”
So, I left, found Willi’s Wine Bar and had a nice dinner. There are way too many restaurants in Paris that I don’t need an attitude by people whose fortune could change on a dime, with reviews like yours, Ann, and experiences/word of mouth like mine. Thanks again for exposing Frenchie’s “too big for its britches” attitude.
Well you know it must be bad when you don’t post any pics of the food. :)
Sorry about the lousy experience. Now you have an excuse (although you certainly don’t need one) to get yourself to one of your favorite places to make up for this.
And, of course, do please write about it when you do. :)
Well that scratches Frenchie off my list. From now on let’s stick to Au Passage!
Mardi — If you go back to the wine bar, I’d love to hear your thoughts. Indeed, perhaps I just caught them on an off night. Not sure I’d return to give them another chance though.
Lindsey — It IS too bad. But I guess another of my gripes is that the food at Frenchie wine be could be food you’d eat anywhere from London to Tokyo to San Francisco — not typically Parisian, or even exciting. But maybe I’m just old fashioned.
Ella Coquine — Thanks for your comment! The bad service just pushed the experience over the edge for me. I’ve never left a restaurant feeling so frustrated and disappointed.
Randy de Paris — I’m not against hearing English in restaurants — and, in Paris, you hear it everywhere, from the 6e to the 20e. But I believe in taking a job seriously, whether it’s running a restaurant or writing a blog — and I was disappointed in Frenchie and felt they weren’t respectful of their clients.
Lil — If you do go, I’d love to hear about your experience. Not sure the fuss will die down anytime soon, though!
FeeltheairinParis — Thank you for your comment! I agree, it’s unnatural to eat at 6.50pm and Frenchie has become a gathering place for tourists. But I hope you aren’t ashamed as a Parisien(ne) or francais(e)! Like CK says, bad (and good!) restaurant service can happen anywhere!
Heather — Yes, you hit the nail on the head! It just seemed so unjust that all these tourists were spending their hard-earned vacation time and money in a “hot” new restaurant — one that seemed fairly cold to me.
Caleurogal — I’m sorry to hear about your experience!
VoiedeVie — I was actually very sorry not to have any pictures of the food! Ever since my handbag was stolen, I’ve been sans camera.
Meg — Yes! I love Au Passage — and I think their wine list is lovely and thoughtful, too.
Unfortunately it happens everywhere :( I find that restaurants catering to tourists just aren’t up to par because it doesn’t matter if food/service is bad, you’re probably not coming back anyway! And there will always be more “victims.” Sorry you had to go through this, it’s no fun being pregnant and hungry!!!
A hint: If everyone else in the line is speaking English, leave. Who else in Paris would want dinner at 7 p.m.?
We dined at the restaurant but found the food overrated.
Hay ice cream did not live up to the hype. Like you mentioned the same dishes all arrived at the same time and not in the order of one’s arrival. Everyone including our server spoke English so it didn’t feel very Frenchie(pardon the pun!).
It was rather dark for photos. Wine by the glass portions could’ve been a bit more generous. The chef didn’t make rounds during our visit.
The truffle mortadella(love the heady aroma with slivers of grey black truffles) I was lucky to sample as part of the charcuterie plate at Mini Palais. The servers there are young, friendly and knowledgable. They are open all afternoon. RSVP if you want to be seated at a beautiful wooden booths(perfect for those with infants) by the window or on the summery terrace. They host private functions so call ahead & make sure they are open & still serving the truffle mortadella! (^O^)
I am sorry you had a bad experience but happy you shared it. I am about to go to Paris for 3 weeks and now I can cross something off my very long “to-eat” list.
When I first arrived everyone raved to me about how amazing Frenchie wine bar was. I finally went with some friends for a birthday dinner, and I had the worst experience. Multiple items were missed from our order, several items that should not have been cold were, and the prices were outrageous for the quantity of food received. After paying a hefty bill (and having to argue about it with our waiter, who insisted we pay for items we never received), we left hungry and frustrated. I continued hearing about how wonderful it was from so many people, and so I finally made a second attempt, and had precisely the same experience.
The ravioli were fabulous, but otherwise I found the food unimpressive and dull, and certainly not worth the prices. I just don’t understand the hype. There are too many wonderful places to go in Paris, particularly wonderful inexpensive places, to waste time and money. I will not be going there again.
It’s a relief to know I’m not alone!