L'As Du Falafel, Paris

This place has been written up so many times and many people here on VT recommend it, but until you've tried their falafal you won't quite understand all the fuss.

Located in the Marias section of Paris in a small cobblestone street where many other falafal and bakery shops are located is L'As du Falafal. The restaurant front is painted in bright green, you can't miss it. As you approach a line will probably be formed and a guy will take your order and your payment on the spot. You hand the paper to the guy at the window and viola, your deliciously tasting falafal is handed to you!!!!

There is also a "full service" restaurant located right next door with some tables and what I would say the cleanist bathroom I have ever seen in a restaurant :) Or, right out front there are a few scattered tables where we decided to sit and eat our falafal and enjoy the warm sun and people watching :)

The falafal was so delicious!! Everything was fresh, tasty and quite filling!

Favorite Dish: We had the falafal at about 7 Euros each.

There is always a tout outside trying to steer customers to this place. He'll quickly provide you with a reprint of a NEW YORK TIMES article declaring it the "Best" Fallafel. But there's competition right across the street if you want to be your own judge.

So I have to say, I recently moved to Paris from the U.S and after going out one night some friends took us for a Falafel in the Marais, big dissapointment. Not only was it not a falafel, it wasnt even close. I saw lots of Arabic food there and lots of Eastern European food as well but no falafel. We had some sandwiches that tasted like a salad stuffed in bread with hot sauce. IT was ok, but it wasnt a falafel! Who puts hot sauce on a falafel???? While my friends in the Marais can try to market their sandwiches to unknowing tourists as Falafel, the sandwich I had was surely not!

Thank my heavans though when I happened to fall upon a place called Le Baron, (not sure if it is spelled correctly) it is on Rue Washington) right off of Paris' most beautiful street, the Champs elysee'! They have great Falafel, I would say the best in town. The place is small, fast and has a pick up window just like in the Marais except you get an amazing sandwich! No offense to the other guys, but keep on trying. You might get it one day...

Favorite Dish: Falafel , Falafel, Falafel, their shawarma is also pretty good, just tell them to hold off on the garlic and onions, wheewww!! They make a really good falafel, made with real toasted, Syrian bread (pita bread for you tourists) some pickled turnips, tahini sauce and some fresh peppers on the side. mmm, mmmm good!

L'As du Fallafel
34 Rue des Rosiers
Marais

This is the famed L'As du Fallafel, made all the more famous because it's the favorite fallafel place of Lenny Kravitz. Known for being one of the best cheap meals in Paris, there's a walk-up window where you may place your order, pick it up, and proceed down the rue des Rosiers while eating your fallafel. Because this is a Jewish establishment, this place is closes 6pm Friday, but reopens 6pm Saturday. The best thing is that you'll find it open on Sundays!

When I popped by last November they were inexplicably closed with the façade of the restaurant side washed (and mere months after my photo made it into the article below). I read a blog of someone who lives in Paris who said sometimes it closes with no explanation. Hopefully, it's still up & running when I return!

If it's closed when you visit, you might want to try %Lhttp://members.virtualtourist.com/m/tp/1b9dbe/]Chez Hanna%L8 just down the street to the west.

New York Magazine contacted me 3/20/07 to use this photo for their website - said it was the best photo they'd found on the web! They selected it to use for their 5-Point Weekend Escape Plan - Paris stories entitled:
"Where to Stay, Eat, and Score Vintage Couture"

http://nymag.com/travel/weekends/paris/index1.html

Favorite Dish: Fallafels

Photos: February 2006 & November 2007

Small hole-in-the wall restaurant with a to-go window. The line is long here for take out. There's seating for about 30 people and the place is always packed!

Favorite Dish: My friend Louisa and I were in Paris May 2006 and for dinner one night we went to L’As du Fallafel. We both ordered their Fallafel Special (6.50€): A large pita bread over stuffed with fallafel, hummus, grilled eggplant, cabbage, radish, tomato, cucumber. On the table was hot sauce, which we added to our sandwich. This was quite filling and so delicious! The hummus was the best I have ever tasted! We shared a small bottle of red wine. Total 15.50€ per person. We had a nice list of restaurants to choose from for our time in Paris and we both wish we had returned here for dinner (or lunch) on another day. This is a place I highly recommend and I can't wait to return to Paris to enjoy another Special!

as much as we had heard about the place, it did not disappoint us. It was worth a trip to this Jewish quarter. The food was great and would definitely return. There are couple of Falafel places near this one, so beware and do not step in to the wrong one.

What a nice surprise of a restaurant - actually they are part sit down and part fast-food take away. The service is brisk and friendly. The food was excellent. I had a chicken schnitzel and my husband enjoyed a fallafel sandwich. We were impressed by the large and dedicated following they seemed to have. As we exited, there was a crowd waiting in line at the take away window. It was a most delicious eating/cultural experience and we are glad we took the chance. The restaurant is located in the heart of the Marais district (4th arrondissement) of Paris, on rue des Rosiers. The street offers a lively assortment of Jewish shops and eateries.

Favorite Dish: Poulet schnitzel was very good. Offered with salad, french fries, slaw and hummus.