Bistro de Paris

Bistro de Paris is one of my favorite French restaurants. Who would have thought such an exceptional place could be hidden in Walt Disney World?

Staff in the Epcot World Showcase often hail from the countries they represent, and France is no exception. Our server was a older, down-to-earth (not coarse) French gentleman. His service was impeccable and he helped with anything we needed. When the fireworks started, he opened the shutters more to give us a better view. I'd recommend him by name, but he has since retired from the business.

Our dishes were outstanding. My entree was a roast chicken. The portion wasn't huge, but it was the best prepared piece of meat I've ever had in my life: tender, moist, and delicious. (Chicken really is hard to get PERFECT but they manage it.) My knife went right through it.

Yes, it's pricey, but I will pay Epcot's entrance fee on top of the bill just to eat there again. Highly recommended. Make reservations, and when you do, request a window seat to enjoy Epcot's lightshow!

After eating at Victoria and Albert's the night before, I am glad to say this place did not disappoint!
The service was very good despite the fact that it IS at Epcot so it is quite busy. It is "smart" casual dress, which just means not to come in wearing a bikini or a speedo. The waiters are actually FROM France, so you get that French waiter (is he going to slap me with a glove) authenticity.
You can order a-la-carte, but I recommend getting the fixed menu for a good idea of a French meal. It comes with six courses and you can choose between 2 choices for each course or splurge on a luxury third choice (for example, I chose fois gras for one of mine). If you are a bit more bold, you can order an additional appetizer of escargot and frog legs (which is dipped in garlic butter sauce so it doesn't taste bad or strange at all). My boyfriend ordered it with the wine parings for an extra $45, which offered a good sampling of premium imports from Italy. I tried a sip with each course, and have to say that the chef did a great job matching them :)
If you come at around 9pm and sit by the windows facing the lake, you can catch the Illuminations fireworks/laser show just as we did. It was very memorable indeed.

I had not been here in a while and first returned in February 2009 with our housemade. We had a beautiful waiter, fantastic service, and fantastic food.

Last week Jack & I had dinner here. We happended to get that same witer, Zidane. Not only did he remember me and where I sat, but he remembered what I ordered 2 months prior on our first meeting!

Food and service were again excellent!

The best meal we had at Disney.
Decent onion soup, salad with goat cheese (one small deep fried round of it).
Raspberry Sorbet for the kiddo.
My inlaws split a 2 course ($40.00) chicken meal.
DH had beef shortribs over noodles which were good (but - he said and I quote "Not as good as yours, honey" - and he meant it.)

Believe it or not - awesome creme brulee.
Shockingly good.

$8.00 kids meal was actually NOT fried! Broiled fish with sliced tomatoes and steams green beans.

Pleasant Service.

I loathe Disney food - but EPCOT has the best you'll get at Disney - and the food at Bistro is pretty darned good - for a Disney joint.

It was probably my most disappointing dining experience of the year. My expectation for Disney World dining wasn't even that high to be honest.

Perhaps what Bistro de Paris provided, was indeed a very 'Disney'-ish fine dining experience. Perhaps it was my mistake to expect a real gourmet meal here. I wish someone had warned me.

The ambiance and the decor really seemed rather legit, at first. Waitstaff were prominently French and all dressed professionally. I have my hopes up right until they led me up my table. It was shocking to see how casual and noisy their dining room was. They might have fancy looking white table clothes and shiny silverware but this wasn't a place for real fine dining. I should have known better. Any 'gourmet' diner that calls itself a "Bistro" can't be the real deal.

I can live with the sub-par ambiance if the food was good. Unfortunately it wasn't. I have tried their pre-fixe menu and various items on their al la carte menu. The only thing that stood out was their grilled beef tenderloin. Most dishes lacked sophistication and delicacy. Simple mashed potato? Way too salty. Marinated tuna appetizer was unimpressive. Desserts were a total disaster. The texture of the flan was unbelievably bad. It was cake like and coarse. Raspberry souffle was a bit better but still average at best.

I probably wouldn't have cared as much had it not been a $100+/per person meal. At this price range I expect a really darn good meal. Maybe it is a better deal if you are on the Disney dining plan. Otherwise please don't make the same mistake I did. Your money could be better spent somewhere else.

Delightful, even with a 10 year old. The grace and sophistication made our nephew delightfully polite the entire time. Not that he is terrible, but he is 10. Our server was a delight, stumbling through the menu, I think he was t the beginning of his one year visit.
Food wonderful, my charcuterie plate wonderful the hot baguette divine. Just then I thought the "magic" would run out for our 10 year old, the "cheese plate" arrived with Ratatouille the mouse stage front. Awesome.

I must say that this place serves the most decadent, delicious, and savory food.. so much that you feel guilty that the food has turned you on that much. Yes, the place is expensive, but to us it was worth every penny. The servers are all from France, each having a contract for a year to come work in the US.

We decided to wait the extra 30 minutes after our reservation time so we could get a seat next to the window to view the Illuminations firework event. You can't hear the music, and The view isn't the greatest as at most only one person could see everything without straining your neck and the trees have started to cover your view. However, if you're exhausted from a full day of waiting in line and walking in the blistering sun, then having a nice relaxed meal and a comfortable seat outweighs having to stand on your already blistered feet while trying to peer between heads to get a good view in the hot humid weather.

Anyway, where was I? Oh yes: the food. We decided not to get the prix fix menu and decided to order 2 appetizers, 2 entrees, 1 dessert, and 350 ml bottle of wine. It was the smartest choice b/c by the end we were so stuffed yet so happy that we saved $20-30 by doing so. In addition, their famous Raspberry Souffle is not on the fixed menu. The souffle comes with Raspberry sorbet so there is this nice balance of hot and cold in addition to the warm chocolate you find in the center of the souffle.

We began with a complement from the chef with a tomato gazpacho topped with pureed parmesan, served with freshly baked baguette. The winner of the appetizers was my Butternut Squash Soup. It was like a taste of heaven, with soft chestnuts and shrimp with just the right amount of flavor. You can share the soup as the proportion was huge.

The winner of entrees was the Maine Lobster. It is the most expensive dish, however, it is worth the price. Truffle oil and mushroom cream just makes a perfect combination. My filet mignon was ok. However, it really depended on the mushroom crust that contained bacon as well as the Bordelaise sauce to make up for the lack of flavor in the beef itself. It came with a side of mashed potatoes that were laid on top of a reduced whiskey? wine?. Cocoa powder was sprinkled on top of the mashed potatoes. Interesting but no wow factor.

Service was a bit slow, but we didn't mind since we were waiting for the show to begin. We got our dinner as the Illuminations event started. By the time we left, we were so drunk from such a memorable dinner, and maybe the wine.

All in all, I was very satisfied with my first Disney fine dining. I knew it was expensive, but I didn't expect the food to be so amazing. bon appetit!

The name is a bit of a misnomer - the downstairs "Le Chefs de France" is more like a traditional french bistro, serving such items as steak frites, cassoulet, goat cheese tarts. upstairs, the Bistro de Paris, is a more refined, elegant environment, complete with tuxedoed wait staff (they may as well be white gloved they are so attentive, and, well - French. They know food & restaurant service very well. The entire dining experience at Bistro de Paris feels like you are in a supper club in Paris, not in the commercial Disney / Epcot World Showcase. Quite an achievement.

So delicious, very upscale food and service though not what I would call a stuffy atmosphere. The menu is filled with some absolute "hits" - the pork tenderloin, boef tenderloin, anything duck-related - the duck prosciutto and pate in the country meat plate appetizer is to die for. Some "misses": the peppered/herbed smoked salmon with caviar creme fraiche - BLAND-O despite a description that had me over the moon expecting greatness. Disappointing and flavorless offering - try something else off of the delectable menu!

The fresh baked rolls are incredible and as could be expected at a parisian staffed and run dining establishment. Do be sure to save a roll for your main course to mop up whatever delicious sauce accompanies your meal. You'll be glad you did.

The dessert selection is superb. Crepes Suzette are flambeed tableside while the duo of Gran Marnier souflees (one traditional, one frozen) is possibly the most memorable dessert I have ever had, aside from nostalgic favorites like bannas foster or indian pudding at my favorite "special occasion restaurant" growing up, and my first flourless chocolate cake.

For a romantic, private dinner one really can't go wrong at Bistro de Paris. The entire experience is sinful and, I will say it again - upscale - yet accessible. Try to get a table during Illuminations to add the magic of fireworks to the fireworks that will already be going off at your table.

Be warned - you MUST make reservations well in advance - I recommend at least 3 weeks.

Also, it is a special place - you will feel most comfortable if you come dressed for it - not in your theme park-walking clothes. Casual folks need not worry though - guests come to eat here in a range of attier from jeans and sneakers to dresses and blazers. I believe the only rule is no tank tops (which should go unsaid for a fine dining experience such as Bistro de Paris).

If you have never been to France and if you don't live in Manhattan or San Francisco, this place may be 5 stars for you. Or ... if you are French and you know someone that works at this restaurant ... it may be 5 stars for you.

However, it really was not a 5-star French meal for me.

We had a good experience here, but it was not great. The highlight was dessert and their Gran Marnier souffle. Perfection.

The waiter was very nice and he did a good job. Our dinner lasted a couple of hours and he attended to our every need and special request.

We asked for a table near the window so we could watch the fireworks. They sat a table of six French people near us who received the royal treatment from the chef and the staff. While we received our meal on plain white plates, they received theirs on large glass platters that looked like pieces of art. The kitchen made special baguettes and special dishes for each of these French guests.

While at this restaurant I think every guest should have the same treatment those lucky French patrons had. I felt left out as I watched the staff fawn all over them. Their wine presentation, their food presentation and their service can be 5 stars ... if that is what they want to do. It seems they may be catering to their French friends and simply serving the others.

I agree with Nona, they have great service and mediocre food. (Except dessert ... it was amazing)!

After a day in Epcot, we were looking for a place to eat in World Showcase. We had already eaten in Italy, so we decided to try France this night. Our first choice was not available, so we walked around to find Bistro de Paris. What a great discovery. Our waiter was very friendly and helpful. He suggested some great wines and helped pair them with our meal.

For the first course, I had tuna carpaccio with crab. Oh my, the meal would have been incredible if it stopped here, but there was more to come. For my main course I had pork with mushroom risotto (sorry, don't remember the name, just know that it was an amazing dish.)

We had some great conversations with our waiter some about wine and France. We will be going back, can't wait to take advantage of our annual passports!