A la Biche au Bois

Reviews

• Steve L.

  star star star star star 12 June 2026

  No frills, yet a must-do Parisian experience.
  
  Was fortunate to get same-day reservations for a group of six at this rustic restaurant located in the Quinze-Vingts, just south of Bastille.
  
  Excellent, friendly front-of-house staff complemented a hearty menu of winners.  For starters, juicy escargots served as willing delivery platforms for pools of garlicky butter.  Coq au vin (for two?) came served bubbling hot in a steel cauldron.  Chicken was richly flavored; however, make sure to attack the gravy or leftover meat later in the meal - it's arguably tastier as a cooler temperature allows a better appreciation of more subtle flavors.  For a lighter option, salad nicoise was superb, with deviled eggs and tuna topping string beans and mixed greens.
  
  Make sure save room - two courses after the main, including three selections off of an excellent stinky cheese platter.  And then there's dessert - high points include the creme brulee as well as the chocolate mousse.
  
  Might be worth ordering the more adventurous options off of the specials menu.  This place is supposed to approximate a hunting lodge (taxidermied animal heads on walls), after all.

• Joy W.

  star star star star_border star_border 8 June 2026

  Great food, but we felt snubbed by the service.
  We came here for dinner on a Saturday night. It was not terribly busy, but they were near capacity by the time dinner was in full swing.
  They offer a set menu, including entree, plat, fromages, dessert for ~33€, which is not a bad deal, so we decided to go for it. I'll start with what went well, and follow up with what didn't go so well.
  
  We got a couple glasses of red wine, a Lorrain and Verre de vin to go along with a meal full of red meat.
  
  Les Oeufs durs Mayonnaise (Eggs w/ Mayo):
  Ok! I was hoping for deviled eggs, but these are actually just hard-boiled eggs, sliced in half with some mayonnaise piped on top. The four egg halves sat on top of some lettuce and tomatoes. They tasted okay, but I would have preferred the egg yolks and mayonnaise mixture to be mixed together, you know, like an actual deviled egg. The eggs were also slightly overcooked. Also, the lettuce leaves could have been more fresh.
  
  Coq au vin
  Excellent! Deliciously tender, juicy chicken in very generous portions with large chunks of potatoes. The leg meat was practically falling off the bone. The red wine broth was smooth and luxurious. When it arrived in what appeared to be a Dutch oven with a handle, I was surprised by just how large the portion was.
  
  Le Filet de boeuf, frites
  Great! The thinly sliced filet was cooked to a very nice medium rare with some of the meat juices visibly oozing onto the plate, and drenched in a roux. It was accompanied by an entire plate of French fries
  
  Fromage
  Good! Our waiter presented a platter of cheeses for us to choose from. I thought I was to choose just one, but Mr. Joy asked for one of each, and they cut up large chunks of each type of cheese. I particularly enjoyed the aged cheddar and creamy brie.
  
  As for dessert, we didn't get any, because they most likely forgot to serve us dessert.
  First of all, they stuck us in a table outside, which was fine, because it was a nice night out. However, our table was hidden behind a bush, so as the night wore on, it became very apparent that we were out of sight, out of their minds.
  That was probably why it took a while to receive each of our courses, ~30 minutes for each course. For the mains, I'm willing to forgive that, but after we finished those, it does not make sense to wait half an hour for someone to bring us cheese. After we finished the cheese, our waiter did not bother to stop by our table for a long time.
  When he finally appeared, it was clear that they forgot about our dessert, which is supposed to be part of the prix fixe menu. Instead of giving us dessert options, he asked us if we were still interested in dessert, which I thought was a strange question, considering it was supposed to be part of our meal. By then we had waited so long, we decided we didn't wait to wait another half an hour to receive our dessert.
  We ended up waiting a long time to pay our bill anyway. I definitely felt ignored. When patrons say no to dessert, that should be a clear sign that they are ready for the check and ready to leave. We asked for the check, but once again, he disappeared from our table. Finally, Mr. Joy went to pay at the counter. We found that they still charged us the full price of the set menu, even though we didn't get any dessert. By then we were just ready to get out of there and move on with our lives.

• Jen Y.

  star star star star star 4 June 2026

  This place will fulfill your every idea you might've ever had about a French restaurant!
  It's not a huge place and is actually a bit small, but you sense the warm and cozy atmosphere as soon as you walk in. Even though I'm sure the word about this place is spreading amongst tourists, you'll notice how it is mostly locals who are filling up the tables. The menus are in French only but the staff is very friendly and helpful and will do their best to provide suggestions or assistance.
  You'll notice a huge platter of cheese getting passed around, tables always filled with bread, and wine that keeps flowing down the aisles... this is truly France!
  The special Coq Au Vin chicken stew was so hearty and delicious. Paired with bread, it is a must try dish. You'll immediately notice the fragrant wine flavor in it. It's actually a very big portion that can be shared.
  The avocado and poached egg salad is also a must try, it's just such a perfect balance of flavors and textures. Foie grad was very rich and good but I can't get over the gamey taste of the duck. I'm sure the pre fix menu is a great option but I'd recommend sharing a main course as the dishes are very rich and filling.

• Ron W.

  star star star star star 25 May 2026

  Deceptively small, this is a heavy weight contender for fabulous French food. It's the real deal de la soupe aux noix.
  
  A floor to ceiling mirror makes the restaurant seem far larger than it actually is. (Think a close up of Trump's hands), and even though the tables are linked together like a tapestry there is still enough elbow room to be comfortable.
  
  Plus, this may be the best value on two Continents. 33.90 Euros for a set menu of more food than the USC Varsity Football Team could manage in one seating, and yet I did it.  
  
  The English Menu was the one server who wanted to practice her English and she was terrific.
  
  The decor has 60's New Rochelle highlights, but who cares? You came for the food.
  
  The Vibe: Open at 7:00 PM and slammed by 8:00 PM with a line down the street as if it was the Stones next Farewell Tour. This place will get as crowded as the Tokyo Tube at prime dinner time, so time your visit accordingly.  
  
  The Staff: Warm as Poilane Bread. Helpful, charming and genuine in two languages.
  
  So, sit back, relax and have a flute of Champagne with a fresh Strawberry to wake up the palate or tip a glass of Chateau Latours 2014 which will go nicely with your Beef or Game or shirt. Just let it breathe while do the same as there will be an onslaught of food too good to leave. Screw the dog.
  
  The Food: Yes, it's wonderful.
  
  A dozen Escargot de Bourgogne La Donzaine slowly made their way to my table a snail's pace. Lift a shell and see the puddle of Parsley, Garlic Butter and Olive Oil waiting for you and your Baguette. (Much better than lifting your little treasure and realizing you should have changed it's nappies an hour earlier). The Sauce is so good you can forget the Baguette and use a finger. Use two fingers like eating Poi, or simply lilt the pan and lick the thing clean like you're supposed to.
  
  The Terrine de Chevueil (Venison with a Foie Gras center) was a heroic slab of something that took three days to make. Four, if you count the huntsmen.
  
  Next, came the Canard Savage (Wild Duck) the "Special" for the night, served with extra Sour Cherries and buttery Mashed Potatoes. Most times duck is a typo. But here, it is as advertised. Slightly gamey, but in a good way, it was just ducky.  
  
  The Beouf Du Poivre was good old tried and true tender Skirt Steak adrift in a sea of Green Peppercorn Cream Sauce. Double Yum. It comes with French Fries for which this place is known, and with good reason. They are uniquely superb. So, let's have french fry talk now. These are creamy on the inside, crisp on the outside and they remained so throughout the entire
  meal. I thought I wanted the house made Mayo for a dip, but by the time I decided I wanted it, I'd hoovered every damn fry. My bad, and oh so good.
  
  The fries were simple and yet complicated, kinda like a part time narcissist.
  There are no additives necessary for the fries or me.
  
  Next came a large tray of cheese to tempt and tease. Go ahead have 10 different slices. You only live once although that might end here.
  
  Ponte L'Vec was soft and inviting (think Italian Starlet). Chevre Poivre (Spicy and Worldly). Chevre ave Ash (Like having too much too young). And finally, Cantal which masqueraded as Gruyere but with much more depth and complexity as opposed to a mere nutty afterglow. (Like a Vegas Pro who teaches English during the week at Stanford...many layers. Excuse the reference.)
  
  Notwithstanding pants unbuckled after the Pate, it was time for Dessert.
  
  Chocolate Ice Cream and Cassis Sorbet which I hadn't seen since the beginning of Haagen Daze and the end of Double Rainbow.
  
  The Pruneaux avec Armangac Sauce Vanilla Glace was like a spiritual version of Imodium. If Prunes do it for you (Gods little perfect fruit...or joke) you may hear the commode whispering seductively, "Here's looking at you, kid". Or me, just a regular guy, I will relive this magnificent dining experience often.
  
  A la Biche au Bois...Yaw!

• Lisa H.

  star star star star star 17 May 2026

  This was a wonderful restaurant, our favorite in Paris during our trip. I searched Yelp day & night seeking a restaurant that would have a traditional Coq au Vin dish to share with my husband who had never had it made in France. I make no claims that I understand what would be truly authentic, but it was everything I was hoping for. The bread (like all bread in France) was perfectly soft & crunchy. We also had the poached eggs in red sauce, a combination we've never really had before & were instantly in love! This restaurant will be on our list every time we return to Paris!