What it’s really like to dine at the iconic Paris restaurant: Le Dôme

When it comes to Parisian bistros, there aren’t many as iconic as Le Dôme. You may have heard about it without even knowing; it features in the work of everyone from Ernest Hemingway, Edith Piaf, Anaïs Nin and Henry Miller.

But what is it like today, 100 years after old Hemingway visited?

During our explorations of the 14th arrondissement, we reserved a table at this Parisian institution to see what all the fuss was about.

Here’s what happened.

Our visit to Le Dôme restaurant

The first thing that hits you is the exterior, a stunning Haussmannian building, with the bottom floor seemingly all made of glass. In cursive script, the words Le Dôme beckoned us in. The menus posted at the front promise all varieties of seafood, with meal options named after famous clients from the past.

Lina went in before me as I scoped out the exterior, and she was greeted warmly by a waiter who said he had spent decades working in all the iconic joints of Montparnasse.

“Come with me, mademoiselle,” he said, taking her by the arm and leading her to our table.

I arrived soon after and was struck by the interior. Wood panels, low lights, and a flurry of activity from the suited waiters.

Octagonal plates were on the table. I asked if I could buy one, they chuckled and said no.

What did we eat?

As for the food, we ordered the Menu Ernest, which came with two choices for the entrée, main course, and dessert. We said we’d have it all, at 45 euros each.

For the foodies out there, this is what was on the Menu Ernest, though I see this has changed since we visited.

Entrée: Rockfish soup or Green asparagus with mousseline sauce.
Main course: Thinly sliced monkfish with tandoori and mushroom cream spinach or A devilled fillet of brill with green beans and sesame.
Dessert: Exotic fruit dessert with coconut ice cream or Ice-cream from Berthillon.

Le Dôme’s interior

Between courses, we took the chance to explore the restaurant a little. On wall plaques were the names of famous ghosts of the past. We sat by one dedicated to the sculptor Antoine Giacometti, whose work we’d seen only hours earlier around the corner.

Knowing this restaurant would be a photographable feast, we brought along a photographer, Jeremy Pritchard, who snuck off to capture the rest of the restaurant too.

The Earful Tower podcast episode

During the podcast about this district, Lina and I recorded for a few minutes inside the restaurant, we start talking about it from about 23:30. You can hear it below, as well as the rest of our findings from the 14th arrondissement.

Video guide to the 14th arrondissement

Here is our 14th visit in video format, from our YouTube channel, you can see inside the Dome here too, so you can feel like you’re really there too! We’ll be making one of these every week, so be sure to subscribe (you can do it in one click via this link).

Practical information about Le Dôme

Opening hours: Every day 12am – 2:45pm / 7pm – 10:30pm

Address: 108 Bd du Montparnasse, 75014 Paris

You’ll need a reservation and can book here or give them a call: +33 1 43 35 25 81

How to get to Le Dôme
Make it an easy night out and take a cab!
Metro: Line 4: Vavin, Line 6: Raspail
Bus: 96

And you can learn more about Le Dôme here on their website.

And that’s it! A big thank to Jeremy Pritchard for the photos, and as always to the Patreon members who make all this possible. Join them here for exclusive extras (and that guide to Paris below comes free on signup).

This blog post wraps up our visit to the 14th arrondissement. Read all our tips for the district’s best restaurants, cafes, and attractions here. Otherwise see you next week for our trip to the 13th arrondissement. 

Oh yes, and you can also support our work by buying one of our children’s books, or my guide, below. Merci!