13 au Jardin

Treize au Jardin is the kind of place you go to for setting first, food second. Right across from the Luxembourg Gardens, it is undeniably pretty, with a charming terrace and an easy, relaxed room that works very well in this part of Paris. The food is done correctly: eggs, sausages, biscuit, quiche, pancakes, fried chicken, all solid and pleasant, with no real mistakes. But taste-wise, nothing here changed my view of the world. It is more dependable than exciting. I would come back for the location, the mood, and a comfortable brunch near the garden, not because the cooking demands a detour.

Best biscuit and the most comforting food! Amazing location and I have gone back multiple times and will continue to come back. Must try!

One of my favorite places for a drink or meal in Paris. They have an outstanding drink selection and delicious food. The staff are so friendly and helpful. As an American southerner I appreciate their menu items devoted to that tradition. They have many tables inside and a few outside when the weather is good. The place exudes a warmth and welcome. It's a great spot to stop in conjunction with seeing the Jardin du Luxembourg park across the street.

We had high expectations of Treize au Jardin as we reserved our Thanksgiving dinner with them. When we came through the door, the hostess was bubbly and friendly. We also had guests tell us “It was great” as they were leaving. But our experience was far from great. We were led to the back of the restaurant by the kitchen. The table was tiny- while there were larger tables that remained empty right next to us. We were brought an amuse bouche that was good, but before we had three bites, our dinner plates were brought to us. In fact, we were rushed through the entire meal in about 50 minutes. The table was so small, that the amuse bouche had to be placed on a stool next to us. The food was below expectation of a €73 price (see picture). We asked for a wine list that never arrived. The waitresses were yelling into the kitchen from behind us. We were brought a broccoli casserole and mac and cheese that were in an aluminum and paper tray. They were cold and hard. We only learned of a cornbread and biscuit course by hearing another customer get their order, and had to ask for ours, though it was supposed to be included. We mentioned to our waitress that the wine list was not brought, when she said she’d get it, it was too late and we just asked for our dessert to go and for our bill. When we paid the bill, my wife said that it wasn’t great when asked how it was. The cashier did not have a rejoinder to her comment. As a final kick in the teeth, we got home and opened the tin that the pie was put in and found a slice that was about 2 inches. I’m a travel content creator and I do not like writing bad reviews. But I feel it would be a disservice to my audience to not mention how poor this experience was in a city with the world’s best restaurants.

Having our Thanksgiving meal at Treize au Jardin was truly special. The warmth and joy in the air was infectious — the excellent service and buzz of happy diners made a great atmosphere for celebrating an American holiday in Paris. The food and wine was excellent and can’t recommend this experience enough.