How genuinely popular can a “Bistrot Populaire” be in the 3rd district nowadays? Or should I say, 10 feet from Merci, Grazie and all those very “popular chic” (ie, expensive) places of the neighborhood?
To answer to this question, first, there’s the look. 50’s formica furniture, an old 2CV embedded in a wall, a diner atmosphere and a delicious rotisserie behind the counter… Ok, the old school vibe is undeniable.
Then, there’s the food, obviously. All French classics are here: egg mayo, leek vinaigrette, sardine in oil, hearty portions of chicken or meat, creme caramel and so on.
No muss, no fuss, but real taste. We can only recommend the chicken, straight out from the rotisserie, with baby potatoes baked in the chicken gravy. Goes perfectly with a glass of wine and a rainy afternoon.
The one frustrtating thing when everything on the menu looks tempting, is that there’s only so much food your stomach can bear. Well, the great idea here is that starters and desserts come in small portions, so that you can order a few of each to share with friends without having to worry about indigestion… Or calories.
Finally, the prices. And this is where you can tell how “Populaire” is popular: egg mayo at 1,20€, salads around 8€, desserts ranging from 1,40 to 3€. I know what you might think, as any decent Parisian, you’d rather pay a lot of money for really bad food and service. But don’t worry, come often enough and you’ll get used to the opposite.

Bistrot Populaire
77 boulevard Beaumarchais Paris, France 75003
01.42.77.30.10
Open everyday, 7am-2am
Take-away service
Facebook Page

Article & Photos: Alexandra Remise

[googleMap name=”Bistrot Populaire” description=”77 boulevard Beaumarchais ” width=”600″ height=”200″ mousewheel=”false” directions_to=”false”]77 boulevard Beaumarchais 75003 Paris[/googleMap]