Le Relais De Venise

Step into Le Relais De Venise and you’ll find yourself transported to a bygone era of Parisian dining. This beloved institution in the 17th arrondissement has been serving hungry diners since the 1950s, and the Venetian-inspired decor remains charmingly unchanged. Waitresses in traditional black dresses and white aprons navigate the bustling dining room with practiced efficiency, asking the only question that matters here: how would you like your steak cooked?

The menu at Le Relais De Venise is refreshingly simple—there isn’t one. Every guest receives the same meal: a crisp salad dressed in tangy mustard vinaigrette and scattered with toasted walnuts, followed by impossibly tender slices of sirloin swimming in the restaurant’s legendary secret sauce. Word has it the sauce involves mustard, tarragon, anchovy, and an almost alarming amount of butter, but whatever the recipe, it’s absolutely irresistible. The steak arrives in two services, so you can savor every bite while it’s still perfectly warm.

This is the kind of place where the experience is half the fun. Join the queue that forms before the doors open at 6:45pm, rub elbows with curious tourists and seasoned regulars alike, and embrace the delightful theatricality of it all. Save room for dessert—the chocolate cake is legendarily rich, more akin to brownie batter than anything you’d typically find on a restaurant menu.

With sister locations in London and New York, Le Relais De Venise has proven its appeal crosses borders. But there’s something special about visiting the original, settling into a well-worn chair beneath the vintage decor, and indulging in what might just be the most satisfying steak dinner in Paris. No reservations needed—just show up hungry.