Here is an update. We visited Bouillon Julien last week during our stay in Paris. As quoted in the article, the space is beautiful and it is a classic bistro with ornate decoration and artwork. Unfortunately, once we were seated we were ignored. No one came over to acknowledge us, take a drink order or greet us in anyway. This was on the early side (6:30-7:00 pm). After waiting about 10-15 minutes, sensing that this was going to be a mistake, we got up and left with barely an acknowledgement from the manager. Fortunately, the area had many many other restaurants around and we found a very nice pub/ bistro restaurant down the street where we had a nice meal.
I guess like any good restaurant anywhere, they need to have their "act together" to attract and keep customers coming back (not just low prices).
from the article...
Bouillon Julien opened in 1906 in the working class neighborhood of Faubourg Saint-Denis. Today, the neighborhood remains a dynamic, lively area where Turkish, Pakistani and Syrian eateries co-exist alongside artisan cheesemongers, butchers, colorful fruit and vegetable stands and Bobo (bourgeois-bohemian) Parisians.
Legendary French singer Edith Piaf was a regular at the bouillon, where she would often dine at table No. 24 with her boxer lover Marcel Cerdan. Bouillon Julien accepts advance reservations but the others are walk-ins.
"People come for the ambiance and the prices. There are lots of other beautiful restaurants in Paris, but with high prices to match," says Pascal Le Bihan, general manager of Bouillon Julien.
