The Washington Post’s restaurant critic recently visited these three popular Parisian bistros:  Benoit in the Marais (4th arr.), Drouant in the 2nd arrondissement and Le Timbre in the sixth.

He gives high marks to each of them, but I have heard mixed reviews lately about Benoit.  To each his own.  I would be most likely to try Drouant because of its importance in the literary world as well:  it is where the Prix Goncourt is awarded every year.

His reviews are quick and simple, worth a read if you are planning your next Parisian dinner or just dreaming about it.