You're not coming to Lipp for cutting-edge cuisine — you're coming because this is one of the last surviving temples of old Paris. The Art Nouveau interior, classified as a historic monument, hasn't changed since the Belle Époque, and the ceramic-tiled walls have witnessed everyone from Hemingway to Mitterrand. Order the choucroute, drink a beer, and soak in 140 years of Parisian history.
A Belle Époque time capsule where the choucroute hasn't changed since 1880 and neither has the decor — classified monument, brisk waiters, and all.
Reserve for dinner — it's essential. For lunch, arrive before 12:30 to have a shot at a table without one. And dress the part: no shorts, no sneakers, they enforce the code.
Old Paris at full volume — choucroute and history under Art Nouveau tiles
Let's be honest: you're not coming to Lipp for cutting-edge cuisine. You're coming because this is one of the last surviving temples of old Paris, a place where the Art Nouveau interior — classified as a historic monument — hasn't changed since the Belle Époque, where the waiters wear black bow ties with numbered pins reflecting their seniority, and where the ceramic-tiled walls have witnessed everyone from Hemingway to Mitterrand to Sharon Stone. That atmosphere is the dish, and it's served in generous portions.
The food is solid Alsatian brasserie fare. The choucroute garnie is the obvious order — a mountain of sauerkraut with sausages, pork, and bacon that's exactly what you want on a cold day. The baeckeoffe, a slow-cooked meat and potato stew, is the other standout. Skip anything that tries to be modern; this kitchen is at its best when it sticks to what it's been doing since 1880. The beer list is decent and the Alsatian wines pair well with the hearty menu.
Service is famously brisk — this is not a place where they coddle you. The dress code is real (no shorts, no sneakers), and they mean it. Reservations are essential for dinner; lunch is slightly easier but still busy. Yes, it's expensive for what it is, and yes, the tourists outnumber the locals these days. But there's a reason this place has survived everything Paris has thrown at it for 140 years. Come once, order the choucroute, drink a beer, and soak it in.