"Verdict: The steak au poivre is the most photographed dish of any Paris bistro, but there’s a reason. Also worth booking for the quality of the fish and seafood alone. Le Bistrot Paul Bert deserves the attention it gets. As bistros go, it meets all the prerequisites, from the chalkboard menu and mosaic tile floors to the pleasant but not overly joyful servers and good old-fashioned zinc bar. And when you imagine a French bistro meal, you’re definitely envisioning the dishes Bistrot Paul Bert serves, like the house signature steak au poivre, swimming in enough black peppercorn sauce to feed the entire table, sautéed scallops and whole catches brought in daily from Brittany, and even cervelle de veau, calf’s brains. Sure, not everything is a hit—for one, the soufflés are more flavorful elsewhere—and it’s notoriously difficult to reach anyone on the phone to make a reservation, the only way to book a table. But this classic Paris experience is worth any effort." - lindsey tramuta