Le Jules Verne

A great way to skip the line at the Eiffel Tower? Make reservations at Le Jules Verne, Chef Alain Ducasse's restaurant inside the Eiffel Tower! Be prepared to pay though, because this was rather pricey for a one Michelin Star spot. Tasting menus start at 105€ for three courses (weekday lunch only) and climb to 230€ for six courses.

We opted for the three-course lunch, which somehow still lasted a leisurely three hours. While restaurant guests had a separate entrance, there was still a small wait of 10 minutes for the elevator ride up. Definitely ask for a table by the window when you make the reservation, they might request a small fee but it is worth it!

I thought the food was weak for a one star, but reflecting back, I'm glad I was able to experience this unique venue. If you can go in with the expectation of paying for the ambience rather than an exceptional meal, I would still recommend the lunch experience. The starters and desserts were pretty good, while the entrees had issues with execution.

Some highlights:

Chilled green pea velouté, sea urchin royale - my favorite of the savory courses. The exceptionally bright sauce was quite harmonious with the creamy uni hidden at the bottom, and the raw greens added a pleasing, garlicky finish.

Chicken breast with chanterelles - while the meat was fairly tender, the chanterelles were much too watery. The accompanying pot of sautéed vegetables was probably the best part of this dish.

Steamed meagre - the white fish was mushy, and the vinegar was distributed unevenly with some parts being bland.

Crispy 'Tower nut' - great crunchy hazelnut base and quality, decadent chocolate from their own manufacturer.

'Cookpot of cherries' - came with a deliciously unique hay ice cream and had great texture contrast from the fruit leather and crumble!

After the meal, we received a bag of mini madeleines and explored the outside decks of the Eiffel Tower through a secret door from the restaurant. When we were done, we went back through the same door to skip the line going down.

I'm not sure I would dine here again, but I'm glad I did on my first trip to Paris!

4.5 Stars. Great once in a lifetime experience, I say that because you really only need to eat here once mostly for the view and overall je ne sais quoi of it all.

You need reservations. Stupid American me! I tried getting reservations about two weeks in advance via their website - no luck, E-mailed them and they told me they were booked lunch and dinner all the days we were to be in Paris. It did not help that summer is high season in Europe.

I called American Express concierge and they told me that you usually need a three month advance reservation for Le Jules Verne but they had a "special relationship" with certain restaurants and this was one of them. They explained that it may take longer then the usual 24 hours to find out. Sure enough about four days later while at Newark airport waiting for our flight to London I got the message that our last night in Paris would be spent dining in the Eiffel Tower.

Fast forward to Paris. I was kind of concerned on how we got to the restaurant as it is on the second level. I told our Uber driver to take us to Jules Verne and he knew to take us to a certain location, there were two men in tuxedos waiting and one of them welcomed us, asked our names, checked his list and escorted us through security and to the private lift that whisked us up to the second level of the tower that had the restaurant nestled between the girders.

It feels very steam punk inside but I guess the entire tower evokes that feel. The wait staff were impeccable. They were extremely pleasant and helpful. We actually scored window seats that apparently must be reserved several months in advance but to tell you the truth you have great views from any seat in the house.

We did the tasting menu which I highly recommend rather than going a la carte. It was six course and we opted for the wine pairing with a glass of champagne to begin with.

The food was really good, was it the best food we ate in Paris, no, but it was very good. This is the reason I say it is a once in a lifetime experience. The food is not the star, the experience, the view and the atmosphere are top notch and the food play a very close second fiddle. If you base solely on food, well there are better choices in Paris. To bring your love atop the Eiffel tower and drink and eat and have fun overlooking the city of lights is what makes this a spectacular.

We had 7pm reservations and finished about a half hour before the tower closed so we had an easy time taking the lift to level three, the observatory and had a glass of champagne at the summit. We actually did a daytime tour the first day we were in Paris so this was kind of a cool bookend to the trip.

Of note, this is a classy place. Although jackets are not required, come on guys be a bit classy and at least wear a sports coat, ties not required.
Great memories, if you can do it then do it. Not cheap but worth it!

Was so excited to experience this restaurant that I didn't check in while here! Ended up writing my review on their website. *Stunning!
This was a "Bucket List" dining experience for us, made reservations 3.5 months in advance and jokingly said that it would be the most expensive meal we would walk away from and still be hungry. Completely wrong!
From the moment you take the private elevator to the restaurant, you know that this is going to be an exceptional experience. We dressed for our Parisian dinner and Dinner didn't disappoint, I had the 4 course and Hubby had the 5. Many reviews talk about all the details....all of them spot-on. Sitting inside the Eiffel Tower looking at the beautiful Parisian Landmarks: priceless. I had tears in my eyes, an experience I will never forget.

I'd never been to a Michelin star restaurant and was super excited to go. The view is incredible I did feel really special looking out at the city from the structure that says "Paris" .
I made reservations as soon as I knew when I'd be there. I recommend making them as far out as possible. I made the reservations on their website. I requested a window seat and was accommodated. I also mentioned in the reservation request that I was celebrating a special occasion and they prepared a special dessert for the celebration.
The service was exceptional and the staff made the lunch feel super special. Unlike what other reviews mentioned, I thought the portions were not too small. The selection of food was limited but maybe that's normal with Michelin star places?
If you can afford it, I would definitely recommend it. It's something you'll always remember.

Special trip to Paris just to have the Jules Verne expierence.

There were some extraordinary highlights but also some disappointments.
First of all, most of the service was amazing. The gentleman that was in charge of the bathrooms and the coats was full of personality. Friendly, and very entertaining. He did a great job welcoming our group to Jules Verne.

We were seated by the window and the view was amazing. It was the highlight of our expierence. We could see most of Paris, simply amazing.

Now on to our meals and service. The servers started off great, personable, friendly and attentative. That changed around the time we received our entrees. I think it was closer to closing time so we didn't see the staff as much and extended wait time. I'm aware it's different in Europe, but this was a bit excessive.

On to our our priced meal. The food was so so, nothing mind blowing. I've had better meals and part of me wished we had chosen a different restaurant but I've decided the view and the service for the most part made it worth it.
Don't get me wrong the food wasn't bad, it was good just wasn't great. Well except for the bread , butter and dessert, they were amazing.
I almost forgot the foie gras with components was very interesting and good, it was the most creative part of the meal.

They ended the meal with marshmallows, truffles, and various small pastries. As we left, the coat man gave us Madelines to go.
I probably won't be back but the expierence will be unforgettable .

This place was kept hush hush from the likes of me since it was a very special occasion. I mean, what can be more iconic than eating in the Eiffel Tower in Paris you ask? Probably nothing! Riding on that thought, if you've already decided to come, please don't do yourself the disservice by not requesting to be seated by the windows. The amazing views and the tower's hourly light show (on the hour every hour beginning at 8pm) is basically what cemented a 4 star rating here.

Entrance to this restaurant is secretly tucked away on the side and we received the VIP treatment from the moment we stepped in. Service was absolute perfection. Every member of the service team moved about like a well oiled machine. No glass or plate ever stayed empty or out of place for more than 2 minutes.

What about the food though you ask? Now take it with a grain of salt because I had a couple substitutions from their set winter tasting menu to accommodate a pescatarian diet but overall, it was an "A-ok" at a steady 3 stars for me.

My first starter - the marinated sea bream was fresh but fell short of any culinary creativity (3/5). In fact, I've tasted sea bream sashimi in top Japanese restaurants and would've preferred that over this. My next course was a substitute from the foie gras which I heard was fantastic. I was served a nicely dressed grain topped with crispy onions instead and it was rather tasty (4/5).

Our third course again fell a bit short as there is no nice way to say this - A couple pieces of asparagus is just that....a couple pieces of asparagus. My fourth course was also substituted and this time it was a nice piece of sea bass served with a sweet, somewhat creamy based sauce. It didn't knock my socks off but it was prepared very well and a nice welcome after the aforementioned asparagus course (4/5).

Dessert was probably the biggest disappointment (2/5). The platter of mixed chocolate almost tasted stale or needed flour or SOMETHING. If you've ever tasted a flourless chocolate cake, I think it's most reminiscent of that and it took place in all different shapes and sizes on that plate. Now, we also had an entire chocolate cake served for the occasion and I dare say that was quite good, even though it was sweeter than either of us are used to.

The fellas here are very accommodating so don't be shy and ask them to help take pics for you. After all, it is about the experience at the Eiffel that you'll remember for years to come.

Net/net? 5 stars - Ambiance, 5 stars - Service, 3 stars - Food. Seeing that our meal was over 600 euros, one would argue that it isn't worth the ticketed price since the food didn't quite measure up but hey, we are talking about the most iconic place to have dinner in Paris. It's the place for the hopeless romantics so you be the judge and that's a wrap :)

Once you're at the base of the Eiffel Tower, look for the tower leg with the Jules Verne entrance. You'll take the elevator, which does travel diagonally for a portion of the ascent, to the second floor, and then you are ready for fine dining with an amazing view. To take advantage of the daytime view, we opted for the set lunch menu - 105€.

The service was excellent and very thoughtful. It didn't occur to me to request a window table, but we didn't get one and tried to peer around our neighbors to take in the view. Once they paid for their meal and exited, our waitress cleared their dishes and asked if we would like to take the rest of our meal at their table and enjoy the view. She and a couple of busboys picked up the contents of our table and moved us over. While we had dessert, we had the pleasure of staring out the window at the beautiful view.

At the start of the meal, they sat us at a very snug table. In front of us lay skinny shaped appetizer forks and knives were placed by an upside down plate that looks like a series of fault lines. We begin with drinks, cheese sticks, and bread. We ordered a 18€ Invalides and a18€ Saint-Germain, which came with a slice of starfruit. My bread of choice was a very flaky, buttery croissant in the form of a muffin. I didn't know cruffins were a thing in France, too. Next we each received a beautifully plated amouse bouche of salmon, bits of pickled cauliflower, a thin crisp, and furikake.

Fin veloute de chou-fleur, pinces de tourteau (Delicate cauliflower veloute, crab claws):
Cold cauliflower mousse, shredded crab meat, and coffee powder sure is an interesting combination, but I can't imagine how the combination came to be. I can't say I love it. It was served with some thin bread crisps, which added some much needed crunch to this dish.

Foie gras de canard confit, condiment rhubarbe (Preserved duck foie gras, rhubarb condiment):
This dish sure looked very festive in red and green. The foie gras had a layer of rhubarb gelee on top. On the side was strawberry preserves (?) with some edible foil on top. This was served with some very buttery toast.

Maigre au four, petits pois et poutargue (Oven-baked meagre, green peas and botargo):
A very delicious white fish served with a couple of snow peas on top of a few bites of gnocchi.

Volaille jaune des Landes aux girolles et ail des ours (Corn-fed chicken from Landes and girolles, wild garlic):
I almost didn't know what to make of this dish. The chicken was almost transformed into a carrot-like substance with the orange-ish sauce and the conical shape of the re-constructed chicken. The dishes on the side were tasty, especially the pearl onions.

L'ecrou croustillant au chocolat de notre Manufacture a Paris (Crispy 'Tower nut,' chocolate from our Manufacture in Paris):
I didn't expect much from this and expected it to be just like any other chocolate dessert, but the crispy, crunchy bits added interest to the texture. The chocolate itself was deliciously creamy with a very nice nutty flower. We finished every bite.

Baba imbibe a l'Armagnac, Chantilly peu fouetttee (Baba with Armagnac according to your choice, lightly whipped Chantilly):
We didn't know what to expect from our first baba cake. It was presented cut in half. The server douses the cake with rum and adds in a bit of pyrotechnics. Once the fire is out, they add a nice serving of chantilly cream, and voila. I was not expecting the rum to have such a strong alcoholic flavor. The cake was like a sponge, just oozing with rum. The chantilly cream did a good job of toning down the alcoholic taste, and also making the dessert more enjoyable.

Even though we both ordered the dessert, we still received the complimentary dessert components, which felt like a lot of dessert.
We received a tray of petit fours, 3 pairs of identical petit fours, miniature chocolate truffles, and marshmallows. I especially loved the creamy chocolate truffles, which seemed to just melt in your mouth.

The food was all very nice and as much as I liked the service, I'll give Le Jules Verne a 9/10, because the food did not have as much of a wow factor. It is unlikely that I will ever return to this restaurant, but the memories here are definitely worth the experience, not to mention a great way to see the view from the Eiffel tower, and the rest of the city.

The best part of dining at Le Jules Verne is that it is located in the Eiffel Tower. The restaurants decor is simple and understated allowing the Eiffel Towers metal structure and stunning views to embrace and impress diners . their service is wonderful and they work hard to make sure the food and libations are beautiful, delicious and the delivery perfectly timed in a well choreographed dining experience . The restaurants private platform allows its guests to experience the famous French landmark without standing in the long lines of tourists.
As an overall experience this rates five stars . We enjoyed our window seat with views , great service wonderful food and drinks . Cheers Le Jules Verne

The view! The idea of eating in the eiffle tower in Paris seemed both a little cheesy to me and romantic at the same time. But, i was nothing but happy when i opted for the 5 course dinner and had a great window seat overlooking everything. Every hour the tower would light up and sparkle. Very eye catching from far away and up close it felt even cooler.

Le Jules Verne has it's own elevator and entrance. Security will show you the way. Coat check if you need it. There are three dining rooms, each filled with a variety of people. My fellow Americans, traveling Europeans, and maybe a few locals. They didn't turn down those dressed in casual sight seeing clothing from what i saw but you may be uncomfortable if you don't try to put on something decent.

The food was good - the highlight actually being dessert. A table of chocolates and homemade marshmallows, macaron and other sweets made me feel like a kid in a candy store. Service is also friendly. They spoke English well (thank goodness).

We went for my sister's Birthday on a girls trip to Paris. Since it was a holiday (Easter Sunday) although it was lunch they only had the dinner option. We chose the 7 course option with wine pairing.

We made reservations about 3 months in advance and I called about a month before to request a window seat but they stated they didn't accept requests it's based upon when the reservation was made. When we got there we had a beautiful spot by the window. It overlooked Sacre Couer/Montmartre.

Everything was amazing. The service was impeccable and the food was delicious. When you're already spending so much on the meal, you might as well do the wine pairing too. This was truly a once and a lifetime meal I will always remember.