This convivial bistrot facing Parc de la République in Montreuil does the café-restaurant-bar trifecta seven days a week. The kitchen turns out genuinely good fooding-style cooking — think padrón peppers with romesco — but the portion-to-price ratio is the elephant in the room that splits reviewers down the middle. Go for a relaxed drink-and-a-bite rather than a hungry dinner.
A convivial Montreuil bistrot doing refined fooding-style cooking — the padrón and romesco are excellent, but the tiny portions for the price are the talk of the town.
Come for drinks and small plates to share rather than a full dinner — the portions are notoriously small for the price, so adjust your expectations accordingly.
Good fooding, small plates, big debate
Arsène is one of those Montreuil spots that wears many hats — café, restaurant, bar — and pulls it off with a certain ease. Facing Parc de la République on rue Robespierre, it's the kind of place you can drop into any day of the week for a coffee, a glass of something, or a full meal. The vibe is convivial and welcoming, and the Fooding guide even tagged it as an "anti-dépresseur" — which tells you something about the atmosphere. It's also one of the few places in the neighborhood where eating alone feels entirely natural.
The kitchen is where things get interesting — and divisive. The cooking is genuinely good, with a fooding approach that mixes authentic flavors with modern touches. Le Fooding's Instagram highlighted their padrón peppers with romesco and fleur de sel, and the menu generally leans toward refined, inventive bistro fare. The problem, and it's a real one, is the portions. Multiple reviewers echo the same frustration: the plates are small, really small, especially relative to what you're paying. You'll enjoy what's in front of you — you'll just wish there were more of it.
So manage your expectations. Come for a drink and a couple of small plates rather than a serious dinner, and you'll have a much better time. Reservations are only needed for groups of eight or more, and they do take-away if you'd rather eat at home. The 4.3 Google rating is generous given the portion complaints, but the loyal local crowd clearly keeps coming back for the atmosphere as much as the food.