Has anyone been to Monsieur Paul?

[Wendydagny]

We are planning to eat there the evening of July 4, but haven't seen any feedback since it reopened after the refurb.

 

[ppiew]

yes, we were there the first part of April. In the past we LOVED the Bistro, but i have to say Monsieur Paul was a disappointment. First of all paper place mats don't do it for me in a fine dining restaurant. There were 3 of us and the bill was abt $300. The food just didn't justify this. The Lobster Bisque was loaded with lobster but tasted rubbery and 'old'. The Cornish Hen was quite good but small and i don't even remember what I had, it wasn't memorable at all. It was an occasion to celebrate my birthday and i can think of half dozen other Disney restaurants that were better. Sorry.

 

[wiigirl]

yes, we were there the first part of April. In the past we LOVED the Bistro, but i have to say Monsieur Paul was a disappointment. First of all paper place mats don't do it for me in a fine dining restaurant. There were 3 of us and the bill was abt $300. The food just didn't justify this. The Lobster Bisque was loaded with lobster but tasted rubbery and 'old'. The Cornish Hen was quite good but small and i don't even remember what I had, it wasn't memorable at all. It was an occasion to celebrate my birthday and i can think of half dozen other Disney restaurants that were better. Sorry.

Agree....it was a bit pricy for what we got.

 

[Pakey]

As a lover of the old Bistro (prior to dining plan), I was a little disappointed in Monsier Paul. The paper placemats really bothered me. The elegance of the old Bistro was gone and it felt like I was at a chain restaurant.

I thought my meal was pretty good. I enjoyed the amuse bouche. I had steak which is unusual for me. The steak was nicely prepared. I don't remember what the side was but it was good. I did not have any dessert.

So overall, I still think it's the best restaurant inside Epcot. But as for an upscale dining experience, there are several places I enjoy more.

 

[figment_jii]

I went in early March and it was an interesting experience. I didn't exactly like it, but I didn't exactly dislike it either. On the good side, it was definitely more "upscale" than any other in-park Signature. Most folks were in business casual clothes or higher. Almost no t-shirts or theme park clothes. The food was tasty, but pricey. Everything was well presented and cooked well. The restaurant was pretty looking, but had a very "stuffy" feel to it. It wasn't a relaxing place to eat and this was the biggest drawback to me. I guess the best way to describe the meal was good tasting food, uncomfortable atmosphere. I don't think I'd go back on my next trip, but I wouldn't say it's a place I won't go back to.

 

[daannzzz]

We ate here mid December a few days after they opened. I had never been to the Bistro. I thought it was good but not excellent (I am not the biggest fan of French food). I had the chicken and it was good. The salad (Dry aged Ham, braised leeks, Parmesan crisp, celery cream) sounded very good and was different but just okay. They served a free appetizer of an escargot in a little pastry puff. The pastry and butter and garlic were good. The snail seemed pointless and rubbery but then I had never had one before. I though the atmosphere was very nice and the service was fine but not outstanding. Yes it was expensive. My partner LOVED it all though.

 

[VAfamily1998]

Oooh, I am interested in hearing more reviews on this too--my aunt and I are doing a "girls trip" to Disney this fall and this was the one restaurant she really wanted to go to.

BTW WendyDagny--we used to post together at a Marine wives board It's good to see you!

 

[purple figment]

I went last month and was looking forward to dining there, but overall I was disappointed. The atmosphere was more like a resort sig restaurant. Most guests were dressed up and there were very few people in park touring clothes.

Unfortunately, the signature atmosphere didn't carry into the service. Our server was distant and all business and did nothing to enhance our enjoyment of dinner. I'm more used to the sig servers who are friendly, take time to discuss menu items and take care of the small details that separate a sig from a non-sig at DW. I guess this is what disappointed me the most. The servers at the other sigs seem to enjoy working, but here it was just a job.

I won't completely cross it off my list, but it's dropped below quite a few other places.

 

[ElizabethB]

Wow -- sounds like the Monsieur Paul concept isn't gelling yet. We had enjoyed Bistro in the past although our last visit when it was still Bistro was disappointing, with loads of noisy kids running through the restaurant, pulling their sibling's hair, etc. Moreover, the food did not seem terribly fresh.

We haven't ever minded the more formal service. We don't need a "Hi, my name is Billy and I'll be your waiter" kind of friendliness. But, for the prices they charge, I do expect outstanding ambience and superb food. Our last visit was neither.

We had some interest in returning and trying it again under its new name and approach, especially since their wine list (unless it has changed) had some nice Rhones that are hard to find elsewhere at WDW. But, the reviews are certainly not promising. Paper place mats are rather disconcerting. Worse, though, is to hear the food apparently does not merit the price. Too bad. The place used to be a lovely respite for a level of cooking and service that is hard to find elsewhere at WDW (other than at V&A). Oh well.

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

I went last month and was looking forward to dining there, but overall I was disappointed. The atmosphere was more like a resort sig restaurant. Most guests were dressed up and there were very few people in park touring clothes.

Unfortunately, the signature atmosphere didn't carry into the service. Our server was distant and all business and did nothing to enhance our enjoyment of dinner. I'm more used to the sig servers who are friendly, take time to discuss menu items and take care of the small details that separate a sig from a non-sig at DW. I guess this is what disappointed me the most. The servers at the other sigs seem to enjoy working, but here it was just a job.

I won't completely cross it off my list, but it's dropped below quite a few other places.

Your server was "French" The French do not believe the server needs to be your friend, it is much more of a 'professional' relationship. So we aren't doing the "Hi I am Paul your server" gig in a real French restaurant.

That said, this is a big step down from Bistro and I doubt I will be back. Food and atmosphere are no longer worth the price IMHO. It's probably still the best place in Epcot, but that's not exactly an outstanding endorsement LOL!

 

[figment_jii]

Your server was "French" The French do not believe the server needs to be your friend, it is much more of a 'professional' relationship. So we aren't doing the "Hi I am Paul your server" gig in a real French restaurant.

I don't necessarily agree with this comment. I've eaten in restaurants and bistros in Paris and while the servers weren't necessarily friendly or chatty, they generally weren't unfriendly or cold either. I'm willing to hope that Purple Figment's server was the exception and not the rule to the general service at Monsieur Paul. However, I enjoy other places in Epcot more, so it's more likely that I'd skip Monsieur Paul for the next few trips and see if things get better with time.

 

[TheRustyScupper]

Our Ratings of Monsieur Paul: (rev 3/6/2013)
. . . food price value: D
. . . food quality: D
. . . food quantity per serving: C
. . . food prep speed: C
. . . food selection: C
. . . seating quantity: C
. . . seating comfort: B
. . . eatery atmosphere: C
. . . eatery convenience: B
. . . staff friendliness: C
. . . staff attentiveness: C
. . . character interaction: n/a

Note: This is the revamped/rehabbed Bistro de Paris upstairs
at Epcot-France. It was changed to allow use of DDP credits
instead of Out-Of-Pocket payment. They should have left it alone.
A MAJOR DISAPPOINTMENT lurks for anyone expecting upscale
dining and upscale quality. We should have guessed, when we sat
and had paper place mats for our Signature Dining Experience. The
atmosphere is pretty good, but the service and food were not up
to Sig levels. The chicken was rubbery, the soup was pasty, and
the meat bland. The amuse bouche was good, but that (by its very
name) is one-bite. And, one bite is not enough to make the whole
meal to be rated well. If you haven't gotten the hint yet, a place to
avoid. What a pity - a good eatery dumbed-down to accommodate
the Disney Dining Plan.

 

[purple figment]

Your server was "French" The French do not believe the server needs to be your friend, it is much more of a 'professional' relationship. So we aren't doing the "Hi I am Paul your server" gig in a real French restaurant.

I don't think this is true. Yes, some of the French have a reputation for being unfriendly, but even in France I didn't find this to be true. However, we're talking about Monsieur Paul, a restaurant in Epcot. I don't think the management has told their servers to "reinforce the French stereotype and treat the patrons with disdain so that they don't want to come back again." There are unfriendly servers in every restaurant and I think I happened to get the one who was at Monsieur Paul that evening. Unfortunately, as I said, this isn't the norm for the many signature restaurants that I've been to and it definitely affected my experience.

 

[wiserabbit]

There's a very detailed review of this over on themparkinsider - with pics of food, etc. - check it out He made it seem like it was definitely worth a visit....

 

[Tink415]

We ate at Monsieur Paul a few days after it opened in December. It was a special treat for my DD. We had a bit of a wait to be seated when we arrived. I agree with a pp that the atmosphere was not very relaxing. Our table was inches away from the party next to us, we could have been eating with them. Our waiter couldn't answer most of our questions about the menu, but I imagine the would get better with time. We had Salade Gourmande Monsieur Paul, the Poulet aux morilles, and Filet de boeuf grille forestier and some kind of dessert but it wasn't memorable. The food was expensive, good, not great. We'll probably give Monsieur Paul another try but its not a must do for us.