I Tried the Eiffel Tower’s 2 Michelin Star Restaurant…TOURIST TRAP?

Today, I’m climbing to the top of Paris. Not just for the view, but to eat at a 2-Michelin-star restaurant located on the second level of the Eiffel Tower. It’s called Le Jules Verne.
The head chef behind this restaurant is Frédéric Anton.

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My name is Alexander. I’m the co-owner of a ONE Michelin star restaurant, and I’m on a mission - to find inspiration in gastronomy. I love fine dining, good wine and sharing what I know with other people.
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Check out my restaurant:

[troykevil]

I love how you point out the service at the different restaurants you go to. As someone in the service industry, having that recognition means the world.

[frenchustube]

I am a French chef in America. If the langoustine had a weird taste and smell like ammonia, you should’ve returned it, or at least tell the wait staff so they can check it. nothing wrong with that. You’re paying tons of money.

[Sam-bnjk]

To be fair, an ammonia smelling crustacean really can't remotely be considered acceptable even for a 1 star restaurant...

[GCLU]

Ammonia tasting means that the shellfish was old and not good as it's a sign of it breaking down. I hope you didn't get sick.

[Sam-bnjk]

The Comic Sans used for the restaurant check 💀

[StevieG_GuitarMan]

I made reservations for several Michelin star restaurants when my wife and I were on our honeymoon in Paris. Le Jules Verne was one of them. The view is lovely; it’s by far the best part of this restaurant.

We had our first dinner in Paris here. We had the tasting menu with the wine pairing.

The service was professional, albeit a bit snobby. The sommelier was more personable than the waiter. C’est la vie.

The food was creative and good. But it was not nearly as good as other restaurants we dined at on the trip. It is a bit of a tourist place, with many diners who are out of their element in this kind of place. A tacky couple from our country (US) was seated near us. They were saying loud and rude things about the city and were embarrassing. The woman became angry that she couldn’t get a glass of white zinfandel. She argued with the sommelier about why they didn’t have the wine she wanted. When he left the table, I told her that white zinfandel is an American thing that they don’t have in France. She was upset because she wanted sweet wine. I told her to order a Sauternes. She did and was happy. The sommelier was so grateful he poured us both an excellent aged port at our meal’s end as a merci.

The experience was hit and miss. There are a lot of tourists here. The food isn’t as good as any of the other Michelin star places we ate at on that trip. But the view is outstanding.

Is the view enough to justify the cost? Not for me. I’m glad we ate there once. I wouldn’t go back there. And we have been back to Paris and several restaurants we dined at on our Honeymoon.

[GladiatoreXD]

Alexander has been too kind this time around. Ammonia tasting frozen prawns in the raviolis, a main course of onion, potato and a spoonful of braised meat, a limited wine list, a worn down interior decor and a queue for the restroom….sounds like a big tourist trap to me. Ps. The staff uniforms looked pretty worn out as well.

[olicorrivo]

Apart from you not complaining about the ammonia tasting ravioli to the servers, I agree with everything. Old shellfish is how you can get really sick. I also see your point of view on how it can be extra challenging to supply everything in such a confined and difficult to access space. Cant wait for the next video 😃

[robotkiller]

That shrimp dish was plainly spoiled. That isn’t acceptable in a roadside shrimp shack. There should be zero tolerance for that kind of oversight. It suggests the cooks aren’t actually tasting (or smelling!) their food. Disgusting.

[sundaesx]

12:05 was that the comic sans font in the bill??

[KamiKaZantA]

Really nice to see your weekly submissions. Now, on to the opposite end of the spectrum for BeardMeatsFood!

[portlandreviewer]

My wife and I had lunch here almost 2 years ago. It's not a tourist trap at all, but definitely worth the price. From the moment we stepped off the elevator and greeted by a line of staff, we knew we were in for something special. We dined at another Michelin star in the 7th arrondissement that week, but we felt the food at Jules Verne was superior. Another thing, I was impressed by the maitre d' who seemed genuinely interested about which Asian ethnicity I am. After I told him my SE Asian origin, he spoke fairly well in my native tongue...with a French accent, of course. It's theatre for sure. The food, wine and service were impressive, and we would love to dine there again soon.

[drissadrao]

Hahahaha! I loved when he said that they weren’t super hungry and yet choose the 5-7 courses instead of the three. I had to listen twice to make sure I heard him right. 😂

[peterallan]

Alexander is brilliant. Simple, honest & he critiques from the benefit of having his own restaurant. Unlike food critics

[tmdonahue]

I ate with friends at the Jules Verne many decades ago. No stars. Almost no one else was there, a table of Asian businessmen. It was a day of transit strikes and the coldest weather Europe had seen since WWII. The windows weren't well-sealed. We kept our top coats draped them over our laps because of the cold. I'm sure the staff thought we were rubes. The menu was not prix fixe then. The three of us each ordered the sweatbread. The waiter sniffed and said, "You know the sweetbread is not sweet." We did. "I thought you would order the beef steak." The sweetbread was stuffed with wild mushrooms, enrobed in caul fat and roasted, served with a sauce soubise: a classic of French haute cuisine. It was excellent. I forget what we had as a first course. Dessert was a plate with small servings of all the restaurant's desserts. An indulgence.

Totally different from Alexander's experience but a warm and chilly memory to me.

[bundesnachrichtendiensl]

The Jules Verne is a perfect experience for tourists. As a Parisian, the best Restaurant we have is l'Arpège d'Alain Passard. It has no view over Paris, it's quite old inside, Tourists mostly get sent to the basement. But the food is incredible, the creativity and the products masterclass. No wonder Passard could hold his 3 stars for so long (for 28y now!)

[sea]

The view alone is worth one out of the two stars. I could happily spend a few hours just looking out over the city. Thanks for another wonderful video!

[kiyolo]

Nice ! I’m watching this eating my 0.99€ instant noodles

[rustinpieces]

I just love your honesty Alexander - and some of those dishes didn't actually look appetizing to begin with. Thanks very much for the video!

[USMCRonin]

It’s always great being a guest of Alexander’s show. ⭐️⭐️⭐️