Clamato

Yes, one of the most popular restaurants in Paris is named after a tomato-clam juice mix. Owned and operated by the same people behind Septime (which is notoriously hard to get into, hence its absence from this list), Clamato is a superb alternative, though it’s a wholly different experience. 

The menu is à la carte, for one, and almost entirely made up of seafood. It’s open every day with continuous service on the weekends—we like it for both lunch and dinner, but it’s also a great spot if you have a hunger pang at an odd hour. Order a bottle of something sparkling, a dozen oysters, and see where the day takes you.

photo credit: Jackie Gillum