The 5 Best Seafood Restaurants in Paris – An Expert Guide

Craving some fresh fish or seafood after one too many bistro suppers of cassoulet or boeuf bourguignon? As with all their food, the Parisians take their marine-based cuisine very, very seriously. Deliveries of fresher-than-fresh oysters, shellfish and mussels pour in daily from the Atlantic Ocean coastline, and are turned into simple dishes exquisitely prepared for the hyper-critical audience that is the Parisian gourmand. You’ll be pleased to know that they’ve done all the necessary tasting and testing at scores of tempting seafood restaurants across the French capital and come up with the best; here are five recommendations for seafood restaurants in Paris that definitely won’t disappoint. 

For date nights, special occasions or simply a treat just because, here's a selection of Paris seafood restaurants where elegance and epicureanism go hand in hand.

Eat your midday fill of vegetables dipped in tempura batter, delicate sashimi and sushi – each elevated and elegant morsel crafted by the hand of skilled head chef Karasuyama in the open kitchen – to a backdrop of gorgeous views over the River Seine at Benkay Washoku. The seasonal, locally sourced and beautifully served rice dishes, topped with slivers of lobster, salmon or trout and enlivened with pungent wasabi, are served in a welcoming dining room reminiscent of a traditional Japanese home. 
 

61 Quai de Grenelle, 75015 Paris. Open Tue–Sat 12pm–2pm, 7pm–10pm. Métro line 10 to Charles Michels. Reservations required: +33 1 40 58 21 26. 

A teeny-tiny one-man show with an open kitchen, La Table d'Akihiro is defiantly Japanese in ambience, despite the fact that celebrated chef Akihiro Horikoshi has cooked for over 20 years at 3-star Michelin level in Paris. With the emphasis very much on quality fresh and seasonal produce – much of it sourced from the coast of Brittany – the menu changes every day and luxury dishes such as red mullet gazpacho or sea bass with caviar are conjured up before your eyes, served on crisp white tablecloths and matched by fine wines. 
 

49 Rue Vaneau, 75011 Paris. Open Tue–Sat 12pm–3pm, 8pm–9pm. Métro line 10 to Vaneau. Reservations required: +33 1 45 44 43 48.

Wondering where those in the know like to go? Try these storied venues.

Managed by Gwénaëlle Cadoret, doyenne of a French oyster-producing dynasty, L’Ecailler is a Paris seafood restaurant rightly much loved for its sublime fresh shellfish platters, Belon oysters from Brittany and well-priced catch-of-the-day menu. A clever list of white Loire Valley wines pair perfectly with the dishes, and the Paris-Brest choux pastry makes a magnificent end to your feast, which is served up in a traditional bistro-style setting with a marble counter and menus scrawled across chalkboards on tiled walls.

22 Rue Paul Bert, 75011 Paris. Open Tue–Sat 12pm–2:30pm, 7:30pm–11pm. Métro line 8 to Faidherbe-Chaligny. Reservations preferred.

Tucked behind a green mosaic art deco façade, this great behemoth of a multi-floored, much-mirrored brasserie with tapestry-covered banquettes is now under the auspices of Michelin-starred chef Yannick Alléno. As original owner Emile Prunier declared, the brasserie deals with “everything that comes from the sea”,  and does that superbly, with signature dishes including sole meunière, tuna tartare and top-quality caviar direct from the restaurant’s aqua-farm in the Dordogne.
 

16 Avenue Victor Hugo, 75014 Paris. Open Mon–Fri 12pm–2:30pm, 7pm–10:30pm; Sat 7pm–10:30pm; Sun from 12pm. Métro line 6 to Kléber. Reservations required: +33 1 44 17 35 85. 

In the mood for oysters? Or how about a hearty plate of British-inspired fish and chips? Discover these well-regarded venues. 

It’s all about best-quality oysters at Huîtrerie Régis in Saint-Germain-des-Prés, where you can take your pick of bivalves fine de claire, perle noire or pousse brought in daily by the owners from the Marennes-Oléron on the Atlantic coastline. Clams, prawns and sea urchins are also sometimes offered, depending on availability and season, but the serious dégustation business here is all about the oysters, which are served with excellent bread and salted butter in a minuscule dining room with whitewashed walls and a marble bar, or on the pavement terrace outside. 

3 Rue de Montfaucon, 75006 Paris. Open Mon–Fri 12pm–2:30pm, 6:30pm–10:30pm; Sat 12pm–10:45pm; Sun 12pm–10pm. Métro lines 4 and 10 to Odéon. No reservations accepted.

Whenever you choose to enjoy dining in Paris’s best seafood restaurants, be responsible if you’re going to sample the sommelier’s recommendations. Nominate a driver if you live locally, or use public transport if you’re staying in Paris hotels.