Rick Steves panned this mecca on the rue St. Louis-en-l’Ile and a neighboring restaurant. He said they’re “famous for their rowdy, medieval cellar atmosphere. They serve all-you-can-eat buffets with straw baskets of raw veggies (cut whatever you like with your dagger), massive plates of pâté, [plenty of soup,] a meat course, and all the wine you can stomach for €36-38.”
Au contraire, Rick. My wife, daughter and I loved La Taverne du Sergeant Recruteur. Of course, we were there in December when it was all locals and no tourists. The Chocolate Mousse was especially yummy, but every aspect of the meal was tasty and our 11-year-old daughter was thoroughly entertained by dining in a 200-year-old brick and wood building with a spiral staircase to the loos upstairs.
The “Sergeant Recruiter� used to get young Parisians drunk here, then sign them into the Napoleonic army, just like Shanghai Kelly in my native San Francisco. They speak English and cater to tourists. Open daily from 19:00, #41, tel. 01 43 54 75 42. Reservations recommended, especially in the summer months.
January 24th, 2006 at 1:52 pm
La Taverne du Sergeant Recruiter, WAS FANTASTIC, WE HAD A ROMANTIC FUN MEAL THAT TASTED WONDERFUL. IT IS A MUST.
January 25th, 2006 at 11:41 pm
Tracy:
I couldnt’ agree more. Though we feasted at “Sergeants” over a year ago, just last night we told someone it was one of the most memorable meals we’ve ever had… in Europe, Asia or the USA.
Some think the restaurant is a bit touristy (especially Rick Steves), but we loved all three hours of it!
Please comment on other articles and tell your friends about Vagablond.
Thanks again,
Gil
March 1st, 2007 at 3:26 pm
We’ve eaten at La Taverne du Sergeant Recruiter twice in the past and thoroughly enjoyed it each time. Yes, there’s a gimmick, but so what? Personally I think it’s a good gimmick. We’re leaving tomorrow for Paris once again and this time my niece and nephew will be coming along with us. I can’t think of a better “old-world” french restaurant to take them to. Instead of recruiting enlistees for the army, this place continues to recruit folks to the charm of Paris in a very unpretentious way.
March 1st, 2007 at 9:08 pm
Jan:
Thanks very much for your comment. My daughter was 11 at the time and hates “dining” (a meal that lasts longer than one hour), but the food was so plentiful, the service was so attentive, and the whole production was so enchanting, that we spent three hours there and she didn’t complain once!
I hope that your niece and nephew enjoy it as much as we did. Please post another comment AFTER you eat there!
Merci,
Gil
September 5th, 2007 at 6:05 pm
Thanks for the review. I’m planning a trip to Paris with my 11 year old son and was hoping to find something on the Recruiting Sargeant. My father took each of his daughters there in the 70’s and 80’s whenever we were lucky enough to be in Paris. We have some great memories of those dinners and I’m happy to hear that the charm and fun is still there, as well as simply good food. Looking forward to an evening there again soon!
May 19th, 2008 at 11:02 pm
One of my favourite haunts when visiting Paris.