Le Voltaire

A Left Bank institution for art and antiques dealers and elegant Parisians and, yes, American visitors who have been given the tip that this is the real deal watering hole. The menu is standard French fare (boudin noir, blood sausage, and steak tartare and tarte tatin and chocolate mousse) as it’s been prepared for decades, nothing avant garde, but reliably good. On our last visit, we found the prices insultingly high—105 euros for a steak, especially given the shabby, old fashioned décor. It’s a short walk to the Musée d’Orsay and the best shopping on the Left Bank so still draws a crowd but we feel the restaurant is past its prime.