Bar Vendome at the Ritz Paris

There are some places that define iconic, and the Ritz Paris is one of them. It doesn’t matter what your design aesthetic is or what location you prefer. Of course it certainly doesn’t hurt that the Ritz Paris is in the Place Vendome, arguably one of the best areas in all of Paris. But besides all that, the Ritz Paris is and always will be the GOAT. Therefore you need an excuse to stop by, if you’re not staying there, and Bar Vendome may just be it. This is the review of Bar Vendome in the Ritz Paris, which has to high expectations in the iconic hotel.

Atmosphere

When you’re looking for one of the most iconic Grand Dames to stay at in Paris, the answer is The Ritz. The Ritz is where you stay when you want to be in a place that’s so French, it hurts. Set within a 14th century palace in the Place Vendome, The Ritz is as regal and traditional as it gets. Where luxury hotels nowadays embrace a contemporary decor integrated into an historical building, the Ritz remodeled and kept it classic on classic. Within the hotel, Bar Vendome is the go-to all-day to evening dining option in the Ritz Paris which is your hotel restaurant standby. It is the Ritz though, so your hotel standby is a lot fancier than virtually any hotel.

Bar Vendome has both indoor and outdoor personalities, the latter of which comes out for the warmer weather. The outdoor is maybe the only area of the Ritz that flirts with contemporary, with its white  chaise couches and cheerful bar in the outdoor garden. The Bar Vendome garden is one of the best places is Paris actually to gather with friends for beverages. The indoor personality in contrast is traditional, with deep red velvet booths and chairs. During the evenings they have an old-school piano player, for when you want to play a grown up. But yet there’s something comforting about that classic experience that makes Bar Vendome a go-to spot. During the day it’s a power player’s scene for lunch. At night it’s more of the well-heeled older French crowd and the hotel guests who want a no-fuss chill place to listen to music and have good food.

Food + Wine

The food is not meant to be a cutting edge gastronomic experience at Bar Vendome. Instead it’s meant to be elevated hotel food that you can rely on when you just want to chill and have a decent meal. Bar Vendome serves from breakfast to dinner. They flex with dishes like a lobster club sandwich, or the smoked salmon club sandwich, and caviar service for days. They also have elegant canapés that you would expect from a classic grand dame hotel like the Ritz, which include salmon canapés, lobster rolls and Iberian ham toast.

The theme though is generally elevated comfort food and classic French dishes. So you’ll have a nice steak on the menu, a solid Caesar with chicken or shrimp and even a burger. And yes, they’ll offer you ketchup with your homemade French fries. Along with the elevated preparation and offerings is also the elevated price. It’s not terribly offensive depending on your threshold, so you determine if a 52 euro burger is excessive or not.

Service

The Ritz has come a long way in service, where they’ve found the balance of having the fanciest joint in Paris, without being pretentious. The service is flawlessly attentive and just down-to-earth enough, without skimping on the right amount of formality. After all, when you’re shelling out 68 euro for a Caesar salad, you have to have that something extra. Kudos to the Ritz for making Bar Vendome the formal Parisian experience with an elegant welcome.

Overall: 8/10

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FAQs

Q: Do you need a reservation for Bar Vendome at the Ritz Paris?

A: The easy answer to this is to be on the safe side, yes. We say this because during busy times like the holidays and Fashion Week, it’s near impossible to walk into Bar Vendome. In fact when all those VIPs are in the house, they often won’t let anyone but hotel guests past the front door, or those with a coveted reservation.

If you plan far enough ahead of time, it’s not too hard to make a reservation at Bar Vendome online. Or you can try through your concierge if you’re not staying at the hotel. During times when it’s not terribly crowded, like on a Sunday night, you can more likely than not walk in.

Q: What are the hours of operation of Bar Vendome at the Ritz Paris?

A: The hours of operation at Bar Vendome are as follows:

Q: Does the Bar Vendome have a bar?

A: The answer to this is technically yes, the Bar Vendome has a small bar, but Bar Vendome is actually a restaurant. The true bar at the Ritz Paris is Bar Hemingway.