Drouant

Verdict: A Paris Institution Worth Multiple Visits, If You Know How to Use It

Getting a table at Drouant is easy — refreshingly so, given what you get. That accessibility is the first thing to understand about this address at 16-18 Rue Gaillon in Paris's 2nd arrondissement. Unlike the €€€€ tier of Paris dining, where booking six weeks out is routine, Drouant operates at the €€€ price point with a wine list that punches well above it. For a special occasion dinner where you want serious food, serious bottles, and no booking headaches, this is one of the most practical calls in the city.

Drouant has been part of Paris dining long enough to have outlasted most of its contemporaries. The Gardinier family ownership gives it continuity: the same family behind Flocons de Sel in Megève and with ties to some of France's most respected dining addresses. That ownership context matters because it explains the wine list — 1,900 selections, 11,000 bottles in inventory, with Rhône, Burgundy, and Bordeaux as the acknowledged strengths. Wine Director Paul Robineau and Sommelier Guillaume Sicsic run a cellar that Star Wine List ranked #1 in 2025 and recognised with a White Star in November 2024. For a wine-focused dinner, that ranking is a credible signal.

Chef Romain Van Thienen leads the kitchen with a traditional French approach, earning a Michelin Plate in both 2024 and 2025. The Plate recognition means Michelin considers the cooking quality worth noting , not at star level, but not dismissed either. For the price tier, that positioning is honest. You are not paying €€€€ for a tasting menu performance; you are paying €€€ for well-executed traditional French cuisine in a room with a wine list that most starred restaurants cannot match. That trade-off suits some diners better than others, and knowing it upfront saves the disappointment of arriving with star-level expectations.

A Multi-Visit Strategy for Drouant

If you are planning more than one visit , or deciding whether a single visit justifies a return , the answer is yes, and the reason is the wine list rather than a shifting menu calendar. On a first visit, treat the food as the anchor and let Robineau and Sicsic's team guide the bottle selection: the Rhône and Burgundy strengths are where the list earns its Star Wine List ranking. A second visit is the moment to go deeper, either by pre-arranging a more adventurous bottle from the 11,000-strong inventory or by treating the meal as a wine-first occasion where the kitchen provides the frame.

For a third visit or a group return, the €€€ pricing at dinner makes Drouant a viable repeat option in a city where most comparable addresses charge significantly more. Compare that against the €€€€ peers reviewed below and the value case strengthens further. General Manager James Ney oversees a room that has a history of hosting serious literary and cultural figures , the Prix Goncourt literary prize has been awarded here since 1914, which gives the address a documented public record that most Paris restaurants cannot claim. That provenance matters for a business dinner or any occasion where the room itself carries weight.

Lunch is offered alongside dinner, which opens up a lower-commitment entry point. A first visit at lunch lets you assess the kitchen and the service before committing an evening to it. Given the easy booking, there is no friction in testing the address this way before a more considered return. For context on the broader Paris dining picture, our full Paris restaurants guide covers the range from bistro to three-star, and the Paris bars guide and Paris hotels guide cover the surrounding options if you are planning a full evening.

Who Should Book Drouant

Drouant is the right call for three specific scenarios. First, the wine-focused celebratory dinner: if the bottle matters more than the chef's tasting menu narrative, a 1,900-selection list with a #1 Star Wine List ranking at €€€ cuisine pricing is a combination that is hard to find in Paris. Second, the business or occasion dinner where the room's history and quality of service carry weight but you cannot or do not want to commit to €€€€ pricing. Third, the repeat Paris visitor who has already covered the headline three-star addresses , Mirazur, Troisgros, or Paul Bocuse , and wants a high-quality Paris institution that does not demand the same financial and logistical commitment.

Diners who prioritise cutting-edge modern French cuisine or expect star-level kitchen theatrics should look elsewhere. Drouant's Michelin Plate signals quality without ambition for the guide's highest honours. That is not a flaw , it is a positioning choice that makes the address more useful for more occasions.

For traditional French alternatives at a similar or slightly lower price point, Allard offers a classic bistro register, while Le Violon d'Ingres operates in a comparable tier with Christian Constant's approach. For a contrast in format, Anecdote and 19.20 by Norbert Tarayre offer a different energy at lower price points. Further afield in France, the Gardinier family connection to Auberge de l'Ill and the broader range of French traditional cuisine , from Bras in Laguiole to Cave à Vin & à Manger in Narbonne and Auberge Grand'Maison in Mûr-de-Bretagne , provides useful context for what traditional French cuisine looks like at different price tiers and regions. Drouant sits comfortably at the leading of that register in Paris without the entry barriers of its €€€€ peers.

Google Reviews sit at 4.2 from 1,121 ratings , a score that reflects consistent delivery rather than occasional brilliance, which is exactly what you want from an occasion restaurant. The Paris wineries guide and Paris experiences guide cover complementary options if you are building a longer itinerary around a Drouant dinner. 20 Eiffel is worth considering if you want a view-driven alternative for the same evening.

Quick reference: Drouant, 16-18 Rue Gaillon, 75002 Paris. €€€ cuisine pricing. Lunch and dinner. Easy booking. Wine list: 1,900 selections, 11,000 inventory, Star Wine List #1 (2025), White Star (2024). Michelin Plate 2024 and 2025. Google: 4.2/5 from 1,121 reviews. Corkage: $100.