Au Petit Fer à Cheval

On a search for apple tarte tatin, we landed at Au Petit Fer à Cheval, as recommended in a "best of" listing in the local paper.

Winner, winner, apple dinner! When we arrived, there was one left (perfect, since we had just dinner) and a waiter had his eye on it -- sorry, François. Big win for us. It was just what I want in tarte tatin, with a deeply cooked, very apple-y fruit, a little bitter and close to burned, a bottom crust, and a big dollop of creme fraiche to balance the bitter and the sweet. There is another place literally next door, Les Philosophes, that also is said to have tarte tatin but they were out and we had dinner there instead.

The restaurant is in the back, behind the bar. Very tiny, a hidden gem.

Really great place !
For the price it's amazing a bottle of wine and a entree 2 salads and a plate about 70! And all amazing. Nothing was bad. Big Bang for your buck, try it you won't be sorry.

So many choices in Paris but which one to choose for our first dining experience. Definitely didn't want a touristy place but rather a quaint and mom-and-pop locale. This fit the criteria. The bar is out front and the dining area, should you choose to eat, is situated in the back behind the bar.
Like every other eatery in Paris at night, all the outdoor seating is full but we just wanted to eat and enjoy the food and wine. The menu is in French so we had and relied on our server, Buba, to order everything. He made excellent choices from the wine to the appetizers and all the main dishes. The red wine was full body but very easy on the palette. The foi grois and cheese plate were a nice start. All the main dishes were meat but their specialty was duck. We had steak tartare, Duck confit, veal, beef Bourgogne, and filet mignon. All were well prepared and each were mouth watering. We ended with a creme brule and chocolate mousse (kids grabbed it too quick before I could photo).
I highly recommend this place. Kudos to Buba who made our first dinner so wonderful.

Definitely worth stopping in for dinner if you are in the area. Their meat dishes and desserts are their strong point. My duck confit was absolute perfection -- crispy skin, well seasoned, and juicy on the inside. Their famous steak tar tar is good but can look pretty intimidating at first because it comes completely unseasoned and therefore looks like raw ground beef from the supermarket (yes, in fairness, I know that is what steak tar tar is). You are given bottles of Heinz ketchup, yellow mustard, Worcestershire sauce, olive oil, Tabasco sauce, salt, and pepper to concoct your own flavorings.

The creme brûlée was excellent, with lots of real vanilla hiding out in the soft cream, and a delightfully caramelized crispy top that will satisfy Amelie lovers who want to hear that satisfying crack when their spoons hit the sugar.

Finally, the house red wine is quite good, and service is attentive and friendly.

I ate it when I first came to Paris 13 years ago. I went to visit with my family again today, and everyone was satisfied. The crispy crust of duck and steak were still so delicious. The staff is also fast and friendly.

Very friendly, but poor service and mediocre food. The soup of the day was okay, but far from the best zucchini soup we had in Paris. We all agreed that the steak tartare (supposed to be their specialty) was very sub-par. Desserts were the only part of the meal that was solid. We had to ask the waiter multiple times for water/bread before we got the ones we ordered, had several incorrect drink/food orders, and everything was very slow, especially given that there were only three or four tables occupied while we were there. Plenty of better restaurants in the area, not worth wasting time on this one.

Great small bistro making sustainable choices with local vendors! We went based on a foodie list of places as recommended by Anthony Bourdain and it doesn't disappoint. I had the tomato salad starter and it tasted like home grown, juicy, fresh tomatoes from the farmers market/garden fresh! Light and refreshing!! I had the duck confit with perfectly seasoned thick cut frites while my husband and friend opted for the beef bourginon. All well cooked. Reasonably priced even with two rounds of wine and champagne with dinner.

This place was incredible. Not much seating, but if you can get one it is worth it. I had the Duck Confit, others had a fillet of beef and leg of lamb. All dishes were great. The Duck Confit was the best I have had in Paris, but I have only had it 3 times so take that for what it is worth. The leg of lamb was the special of the day, came with ratatouille and a rocket salad and was 13 euro. A steal of a deal. Duck confit was 25 euro and worth every penny. The house wine was great and about $22 for a bottle. The desserts were incredible. Had the creme brûlée, cheesecake (light and not dense, also a huge piece), and the chocolate mousse for the table. All were fantastic and about 9 euro each.

If you are in Paris, this should be stop.

I ate here with a friend after reading the reviews and wasn't disappointed! I had the plat du jour, which was absolutely wonderful. The meat was tender, the salad crisp, and the carrots were tasty. The starter of the tomatoes with mozzarella couldn't have been more fresh! One of my favorite meals while I was in Paris!

Came here for a nightcap. There was a nice mix of locals and several tourists. Had a lovely conversation with a very intoxicated Brazilian man, which was a highlight. Lots of drinks that were super affordable with some craft beers.