Joséphine chez Dumonet

Just had the best dinner at Joséphine chez Dumonet with my husband! We found it from Bön Appétit’s website, and are overjoyed that we did! We were able to get a reservation a couple hours before, and were greeted with several kind faces. Nothing new to share, but in case you haven’t read other reviews:
–We received white wine right after we were seated
–Tried foie gras for the first time – interesting!
–Ordered a delicious red wine
–Had the most delicate, melt-​in-​your-​mouth boeuf bourguignon… you need to have it. Oh my word!
–Finished with the Gran Marnier Soufflé– a dream!
This was our last night in Paris and we wanted some traditional French cuisine, and were willing to splurge for this dinner. We are blown away, and would highly recommend this restaurant!
TIPS:
–Make a reservation in advance if you are able. We saw a few couples turned away at the door because they were full.
–We needed water with our meal, and it was € 5 per pitcher (we ordered two). Just a heads up :)

I have been to this restaurant twice– the two best meals of my life! The décor is exactly as you would imagine the most classically French restaurant, right down to the lace curtains and yellow light. The staff were incredibly friendly and helpful (and even let me blunder through ordering with my high school French). But the real star was the food– I dream about their Boeuf Bourguignon. Not kidding. The Grand Marnier soufflé is also fantastic.
Their hours are a little unusual and the restaurant is small, so if you won’t be in Paris for long I would highly recommend making a reservation!

We love Paris. We’ve been coming to Paris every year for 15 years for a month each time and we speak French. We’ve been to Josephine many times before, but something has happened to the staff. Maybe it’s too much blog exposure, like what happened over the years to Balzar and to Robert & Louise. We had a very ordinary unmemorable meal there tonight — and paid almost 400 euros for our food & wine. The staff was very unwelcoming even though we had reserved in advance and we were seated in the rear room next to the toilettes, which was unpleasantly interruptive. The soufflé was as big as ever, but no better than a Grand Marnier soufflé at many other restaurants. The duck confit was no bigger or better than confit at our other favorite restaurants. No one even noticed or said au revoir when we left. They’ve got a valet out front now, probably to handle the crowds of Americans — it was so impersonal that we will not be going back.

Stuffed morels, millefeuille of pigeon, confit de canard, and stuffed morels are a the savory dishes I’ve had here, and all of them are rich and unforgettable. Every bite bursts with wonderful flavour.
Service I experienced was excellent, in contrast to many reviewers, and I don’t even speak French.
The only downside I would say is the Mille feuille dessert to my expectations. However, it was crisp and light so might appeal to those who prefer that.

Un parisien — ça marche aussi au féminin — évite normalement comme la peste les endroits à touristes. Sauf… Pour aller se faire un grand classique chez Joséphine — dit aussi chez (Jean-​Christian) Dumonet !
De toute façon, en plein mois d’août à Paris, c’est la galère pour trouver une auberge. Au moins ici, c’est ouvert toute l’année car le touriste aussi, il est là toute l’année :(
Bön, attention, le service commence à 12h30 et non à midi. Le maître d’hôtel nous fait quand même rentrer et nous offre un petit verre de blanc pour patienter. Ensuite, on étudie la carte (c’est toujours la même mais elle requiert une attention particulière). Le problème chez Joséphine, ce sont les quantités, juste gargantuesques. C’est pour cela que la demi-​portion a été inventée. Malheureusement, tous les plats né s’y prêtent pas — genre, un confit de canard baby, cela reviendrait à manger un poussin, beurk: x Le choix est donc toujours cornélien. On se décide pour une côte de bœuf en demi (39 €) x 2 (soit une côte entière pour deux personnes).
Elle est bonne mais je préfère quand même celle cuite à la cheminée dans ma maison de campagne. La béarnaise est juste une tuerie. Et les petites pommes de terre sautées à l’ail sont parfaites.
Comme d’habitude, on a du mal à finir et on a honte d’en laisser un peu dans l’assiette — sans aucune commune mesure avec les chinois d’à côté qui ont à peine touché à leur bœuf bourguignon.
Entre temps, ça cafouille un peu en cuisine, la patron est en vacances et on sent un peu de relâchement.
Vient ensuite le mille-​feuilles à partager. Impossible d’en prendre un pour soi tout seul même pour un gros mangeur. Il est délicieux, la pâte bien grasse mais croustillante et pas trop de crème écœurante. La moitié finira quand même en doggy-​bag.
Le verdict: toujours une bonne adresse mais l’on se sent de plus en plus comme dans un bar à nouilles vietnamien, heureusement, sans les baguettes !

For our last night on our Paris vacation, we had dinner at «Chez Dumonet». What an amazing meal. The foie gras was amazing. The full portion is enormous. I had the table side made Tartare and my partner the Boeuf Bourgoinion. Both were so delicious. Of course we finished by sharing the Soufflé Grand Mariner. Simply Perfection. Thank you!

I decided to try this restaurant after seeing so many good reviews, but I’m sorry to say that I cannot give it the same.
The evening started off on the wrong foot as we were shunted straight back to the few undesirable tables near the loud and bright kitchen. We protested and even though we were only the third party to arrive at the restaurant for our 7:30pm reservation, we were told that all the other tables were for parties of 4 or more (we were 2), though many clearly were set up as two-​tops.
At this point we almost left, but it was cold and rainy so we decided to stay. As soon as we sat down we were given complimentary champagne. At least that’s what it claimed to be, but given that there were absolutely no bubbles in sight, I’m not so sure. We were also given rillettes, which was just ok as it was cold and hard.
I ordered duck confit, which is one of my favorite dishes and it was good, but not great. The duck had such soggy skin that it was inedible. Fortunately, the meat still had good flavor. It was accompanied by a salad that was overdressed and way too salty and potatoes that would have benefited from some more time in the pan. My husband’s beef bourguignon was solid, but not amazing.
Finally, we had the grand marnier soufflé. It was a good looking soufflé, however the flavors were not balanced; it was too sweet and has too much of an alcoholic taste.
If you’re only in Paris for a few days, save your money and choose another restaurant.

Highly recommend! The boeuf bourguignon was incredible and the Gran Marnier shuffle was an excellent end to a great experience. I will be back when we next visit Paris. So glad we found this spot!

One of the most disappointing 200 euros meals in my 68 year memory. Having wanted to eat at this bistro for years, I finally got there, living now close to it. In fairness to Dumonet, it’s not a menu to my tastes. I am a self-​professed foodie and when I eat at a restaurant I am looking for a good meal. No, I am looking for a great meal, one better than I make at home. Expecations were probably far too high, and as so often happens, unmet.
The bistrot was filled with largely foreigners on our visit, although that shouldn’t distract from good cooking nor need it be a negative commentary. The place is packed and reservations are a must. Half portions are possible and a good bet as portions are indeed adequate here.
The standard at Dumonet for all guests is a small amuse bouche+glass of white wine. This taste bite was a bland veloute really not worth the kitchen’s effort, nor worth eating+ a dry but standard sancerre. This was followed by a truffle/​potato/​mache salad, half portion+stuffed morilles as a starter. Morilles were great and hit a high (expensive) note. Truffle potatoes a loser. Having had this dish elsewhere, the potatoes must be evenily and very thinly sliced. It appeared hastily asssembled and came with uneven slices of potatoes, over boiled implying a a lack of attention/​care in preparation. Unfortunately most were too thick, meaning the flavor of the black gold (truffles) were diminished if not lost, again, careless preparation for a bistrot of this caliber and reputation.
Duck confit, as many reviewers note, is prepared with a delicious crispy skin. It is good just not great. It was accompanied by a small salad drowning in it’s dressing. Again, very poor attention to preparation. The potatos next to it were flavorless and while the spice of the confit welcomes a simply made potato, they would have been better left off the plate.
The veal chop was tough, which should never happen. It was also bland and flavorless but came with a nice sauce and good mashed potatoes. IN all a wash and disapointment. Veal is a standard menu item here and attention to tenderness and flavor are part of the price one is paying.
There was NO soufflé on the menu that night. We were told we could pre-​order the feuillete, but why I am not sure. The feuillete is pre-​prepared and ready to serve and needs no special cooking time. I also wondered why no soufflé as ingredients are standard and this is a house regular. It takes time of course and with a packed house, might be a nuisance. The feuillete was sweet and chewy, average at best. Had we waited to the end of our meal to decide, we would never have ordered it given the disapointment with the rest of the meal.

We were also strangely asked to arrive at 8PM as opposed to 7:30. Upon arrival the restaurant was already packed so this might be their attempt to manage the traffic of foreigners who prefer the earlier time.
If this is a bistrot you’ve dreamed of eating at don’t miss it, remember, these reviews are all based on opinion and a gastronmical variation of tastes.

Fantastic service. Attentive, but not intrusive. Delicious food. Enjoyed the Demi portion of the boeuf bourguignon with buttered noodles, a glass of red wine, and the most delicate and decadent dessert that I do not recall the name of. Sadly, they had no grand mariner soufflé. But their recommended substitute did not disappoint! And they were kind enough to accommodate me despite not having a reservation on a Friday evening. And in addition to accommodating me, the staff were all incredibly friendly. This was all around the best meal I had in Paris. Highly recommend.

Can one have a better bistro experience in Paris? I don’t think so. Just geaux.

The best duck confit I’ve ever had. Better yet, it’s the best duck dish I’ve ever had. Perfectly crispy, moist and flavorful on the inside. Amazingly good. I thought to myself before the meal, «how good can duck confit be?» and this dish made me put my words to rest. It’s amazing. It’s Paris. It’s French. It’s divine.
We started off with a nice amuse bouche, a little, tiny bowl of soup. I got the beef bourguignon which they serve in a cast iron pot, and buttered noodles. The bourguignon was dark and saucey, with several pieces of beef and onions. It wasn’t a spectacular dish, especially compared to the duck, and I would try to get another dish next time.
We ended with the grand mariner soufflé. The best soufflé I’ve had. It had 50 dimensions, served piping hot with a light foamy top, dense custard bottom, and some pockets of liquor on the bottom. The crust in the dish itself was sugary and crispy.
We were only able to get a reservation at 9:30pm, seated right next to the kitchen. Since we arrived so late, everyone got a complimentary dessert dish of chocolates, but we missed out on that.
It’s a beautiful restaurant once you get through the door. It has golden lighting and a lively atmosphere.

Brilliant atmosphere and wonderful food!
I went here last weekend based on a recommendation by my boss (who is a local and said it is the best gourmet french food in the area).
I made a reservation by phone (in french) a couple of days beforehand. I had to change the time the day before which they did with no problems and they were very polite.
When we arrived they were very friendly and gave us a complimentary glass of wine and an amuse bouche. We had a three course dinner and it was wonderful. Our waiter was lovely despite our poor french! Very helpful with any questions we had. The confit de canard was a slight disappointment after reading all the amazing reviews but everything else was superb. Very large portions (which was perfect for us!)
The authentic french food and fantastic atmosphere of the restaurant really made the night very special for us and I would definitely recommend it.
I also left my jumper there and when I went back to retrieve it, they were equally as nice.
Just note — it is closed saturdays and sundays!

On my last night in Paris I decided to see what was close to where I was staying. To my delight this had great reviews! Despite not having a reservation I arrived right when they opened and they were able to seat me. Sadly I was in the back of the restaurant but it was pretty crowded for a Wednesday. I had an amazing meal and although I wanted to I couldn’t eat everything on my plate.
I am not a huge duck confit fan so I went for the beef and have no regrets! I also had the foie gras and soufflé and felt like it was well worth the decadence.
While the interior of the restaurant isn’t that great, I had wonderful service and am happy to have had this as my last dinner in Paris!

Bel endroit traditionnel parisien, dans l’ensemble bonne nourriture, un peu déçu du chateaubriand, quand même cher pour ce que c’est, j’ai trouvé les pigeons par contre excellents, belle carte des vins et le service est bon.

Good meal

This was our last meal on our visit to Paris. The food was outstanding! I enjoyed my duck confit that was accompanied by the most delicious roasted potatoes I have had in a long time! (My goal is to figure out how to make something that comes close to those potatoes!)
My partner and the rest our party, all ordered the boeuf bourguignon which was outstanding. Flavorful, rich sauce with chucks of the most tender and moist meat. Amazing!
I would have given this five stars but the service was a little sloppy. I understand French service is different from what we might expect in an American restaurant, however my fabulous sister and I both wanted to order dessert. One of the guests in our party had ordered a soufflé ahead of time for her dessert, and at the time my sister had mentioned that we would be ordering dessert after dinner. Well, after the meal was completed and our plates cleared, the soufflé arrived, but no waiter was there for us to order our desserts. We waited, and finally grabbed the attention of our waiter, I asked for a dessert, and he started to walk away before my sister could ask for her dessert. He never address my partner to see if he might be interested in dessert. I was also curious about some of the digestives they had available, but he did not seem interested in talking to our table anymore than he needed to. We finally got our desserts and they were delicious!
If you are traveling to Paris, I would highly recommend making reservations for dinner here. The food was some of the most memorable from our trip, and the atmosphere was that of a lovely neighborhood restaurant filled with regulars. I can assure you, if I lived near by, I would be a regular as well!

Make a reservation for dinner beforehand.
First off, the service is friendly and accommodating. We were a few minutes early, and they provided complimentary glass of wine while we wait for our table (I believe this might be a normal custom in Paris).
Half portion when possible to make room for their incredible dessert options.
I had hoped for a true French dining experience and the restaurant met our expectations exactly. Duck confit is absolutely amazing. Grand marnier soufflé and crème brûlée are to die for.
This will definitely be on my itinerary again when I go back to Paris.

Very good. Had a table in the back and got to see all the orders come out. Definitely worth it!
9 months later and thermal and evening continue to be a great memory.

For me, this is truly the best bistro experience in Paris!
We had such a gorgeous lunch during our Honeymoon in Paris!
The entire place exudes old world class and warmth. The butter yellow glow from the walls. The slightly worn mirrors surround the bar area. The gentle clattering and jingling of glasses as the old-​school waiters waltz around the room and behind the bar. It’s the epitome of classic french bistro! At it’s best!
We loved the complimentary white wine upon seating– which opened our appetites and thirst for even more wine! And we loved the incredible mini-​soup amuse bouche. a seasonal pumpkin and potato soup! For our plats we had the delicious Confit de Canard (best in Paris, as per David Leibovitz!) and the earth shattering, yet comforting, boeuf Bourguignon! (A half order of the boeuf bourguignon is plenty for 1 person!)
The noodles for the Boeuf Bourguignon were actually one of my favorite aspects of the meal. so amazing. it must be something to do with the delicate and fresh pasta– bathing in butter and cream and a touch of lemon.
We ended the meal by ordering our dessert at the beginning of our seating: The Grand Marnier Soufflé, for which they are so famous for! The owner, Dumonet Jr., even came by and placed the entire bottle of Grand Marnier down at our table… which we tried not to abuse! :)
We left, on that rainy November day, with such delight and warmth inside our souls. This was to have truly dined well.

Yes. Best meal we had in Paris, hands down. Especially of note were the boeuf bourguignon, canard confit, and the soufflé.
Everything was rich and flavorful, the waitstaff was courteous and helpful; and we were simply floored by how modest the bill was in the end (we’ve spent much more for less in Paris).
The only advice I would give is that they do serve wine by the glass, even though that is not clear from the wine list.
Go here!

They open at 12:30 for lunch. We didn’t have a reservation and arrived on a Thursday at 12:45; we got a nice table for two at the window. I think it helps when you arrive at a place to apologize for not having a reservation and ask nicely if they can fit you in – in basic French, if possible.
Like most foreigners, we came here for the best confit de canard, as per David Lebovitz.
We also ordered the half plat of terrine maison at 8e (that was for my husband – I did not like this, but I never like it.)
Soufflé Grand Marnier at 18e (you just have to get this too)
2 glasses of the house red haut medoc at 10e (you’ll also get two complimentary glasses of white when you sit down)
Amuse was a veloute of some sort.
A word on the uncouth waiters: they’re not rude, they just seem like they’re from a village in the 19^th century. I think when you don’t act like an entitled American, and attempt to speak French, the waiters are quite nice, even the uncouth ones.
If you’re looking for the best confit de canard do yourself a huge favor and come here. The skin was perfectly crispy crackly flavorful; the flesh wasn’t bad either. I rarely take pictures of food, but this duck totally inspired me.
A true masterpiece.
94 euros total or $ 127.

La VRAIE bonne cuisine française. Des plats savoureux, servis (très) généreusement. Une bien belle adresse familiale dans la charmante rue du cherche midi.

Excellent, accueil détendu et de qualité, un vrai plaisir.
Prendre les demi-​portions suffit amplement !
Seul bémol, la salle est beaucoup trop éclairée mais bon, c’est un détail.

I came here on a lovely Monday afternoon, and I was able to secure a seat without a reservation. As I was seated, a basket of delicious baguette slices was placed in front of me. I was also offered a glass of complimentary white wine and a leek soup amuse bouche. Already, I am impressed. I ordered their duck confit, which was an extremely satisfying dish. The skin on the duck crisped and crackled perfectly, and the gelatinous fat under the skin melted in your mouth. The duck meat was fork-​tender. The dish also came with a small serving of salad, which was perfectly dressed with a vinaigrette and the fried chips were crispy and had flakes of coarse sea salt adorning it.
To finish, I had a grand marnier soufflé, which was massive. It’s probably as large as a baby’s head. I wouldn’t order this again unless I was sharing it. All in all, my lunch took 2.5 hours, and never did I feel rushed or hurried. Perfect.

This was one of the best meals I had in Paris… ignore the people on chowhound who say the service is iffy. This was one of the best dining experiences I had in Paris.
It’s a typical classy Parisian bistro and if you want to snag a table, make sure you have reservations. We went on a Friday night and it was packed… had reservations for 9:30 pm and left at 12:45 am… it was that much fun!
Even if you are seated in the back room, it’s not a big deal as most of the other tables in the back room was occupied by locals. One of the tables in the back as occupied by personal friends of the chef who joined them at the end of the meal.
Now for the fun part, the food. OMG. what amazing sensations! We started the evening with complimentary glasses of white wine and ordered the half portion of foie gras… it was so buttery… I couldn’t believe it was liver. If you aren’t a big fan of foie gras, order the half portion as that’s good enough to be shared between 2 people.
I have never felt so deliriously happy as when I bit into my beef bourguignon. This is clearly the best beef bourguignon I have ever eaten. If there is just one dish you have to order, make it this. I knew that the grand marnier soufflé was to die for and since I am a mille-​feuille (napoleon) fan, I had to eat that too… I thought I did the smart thing by ordering the half portion of the beef bourguignon. It’s perfect for one person but if you have a dining partner like mine, order the full version as the half portion is not meant to be shared! It was simply delicious!
The Duck confit was amazing as well, though my husband who ordered this found it a bit dry (and hence the poaching on my dish!). It comes with a small salad and the best garlic infused potaoes.
The desserts here were phenomenal… I was embarrassed that we ordered 2 desserts as everyone had told me to just share the soufflé. But that was the best decision of the night… the mille-​feuille /​napoleon was the best one I’ve eaten. The one at Jacque Genin was also good but this one just made me cry out with joy. Next time I will just order the full portion of the beef bourguignon and the mille-​feuille …my version of a perfect dinner.
The best part was our server… he started the evening being the typical stiff Parisian waiter but as the evening progressed, he warmed up and started chatting with us. He even gave us 2 free glasses of Champagne… made our evening even more fun!
If you are in Paris, definitely go and have a meal at Chez Dumonet… you won’t be disappointed!

Une soirée chez Joséphine
Nous étions un bon groupe contents d’y aller puisque recommandé. Nous avons été déçus: cher, qualité de service en dessous de tout (oubli du plat d’une personne et sans excuses), plus jamais.

Tout y est parfait et c’est tellement bon !
Une bonne adresse de vrai restaurant. La table, le service, l’accueil, la carte des vins ! et surtout cette idée de ½ portion (mais né vous y trompez pas, elle reste de bonne taille) tellement agréable pour les gourmands qui finissent toujours pas prendre et l’entrée et le dessert et le café gourmand ! C’est un peu cher mais ça en vaut la peine !

Venez à la saison des truffes !
D’accord la carte a alors des prix qui font peur mais en lisant bien, vous verrez que la demi-​portion qui n’en est pas une, vous permettra de goûter l’ineffable décliné sous toute une série de plats. D’accord le décor est d’époque, mais cela ajoute au charme quasi 19ème siècle de cet endroit magique. A découvrir.

Très décevant
Je suis venu suite à de nombreux articles dans les guides recommandant ce restaurant. Quelle déception, le cadre n’est pas qu’ancien il n’est absolument pas entretenu. Pensez en levant la tête vous apercevez une magnifique tâche de sauce tomate au plafond. L’accueil est impersonnel, et la cuisine médiocre. Il est vrai que la carte des vins est très impressionnante mais très chère, Orme de Pez 2003 à 90 € quand même. Bref une soirée ratée !!

Ambiance brasserie luxe
Ce restaurant est une énigme. Si l’on s’arrête au cadre, on pourrait penser être dans une vulgaire brasserie. Pourtant, si l’on accorde son attention à la carte, aux vins (quelle cave magnifique !), au service irréprochable, on réalise la qualité de l’endroit. Les plats sont excellents, je vous recommande, à titre d’exemple, le petit canard sauvage, le tartare de boeuf (à se mettre à genou et préparé devant vous), le boeuf bourguignon (²⁰⁄₂₀) et le mille-​feuille (mangez léger car il est imposant !). Quant aux vins, vous avez l’embarras du choix (comprenant de nombreux grands crus). Bref, je recommande sans hésiter ce restaurant pour des repas entre amis ou professionnels car, il est vrai, le lieu né se prête pas vraiment à la romance !

Surfait
Les suiveurs suivent, c’est naturel ! Alors s’ils continuent à venir ici c’est que certains clients adorent le surfait, l’approximatif. Trop bruyant, toujours noyé dans la fumée, le plaisir de la table disparait tellement c’est fatiguant; le seul détail rigolo provient des éclats de voix qui arrivent des cuisines. Mais on né va pas au restaurant pour subir les chansons de cuisine…