"A serene white room where Takayuki Honjo folds French technique into Japanese restraint. Book it to impress a client who notices detail."
About Restaurant ES
Takayuki Honjo opened Restaurant ES in 2012, a few steps from the Bon Marché at 91 rue de Grenelle in the 7th. He had cooked at L'Astrance in Paris and Quintessence in Tokyo, and the restaurant reads as a bridge between the two cities: a short, market-led tasting menu, almost no decoration, and plating that treats a single vegetable as the main event. The Michelin guide awarded it a star in 2015, and it has held the distinction since. See the wider Paris dining guide for the rest of the city.
The Kitchen
Honjo writes a fixed menu that turns over with the market, and the cooking is precise rather than showy. The dish people return for is le chou-fleur à la brioche: a head of cauliflower roasted then grilled on one side like a tartine, finished with brioche grated over the top so it eats somewhere between a gratin and toast. Around it run clear broths, herbs and vegetables used to lift a single main ingredient rather than crowd it, the lesson of his years with Pascal Barbot at L'Astrance. Lunch is the value way in at €42 or €55 for a shorter menu; the full dinner tasting is €105 a head before wine. The room seats only around twenty, so the kitchen cooks close to its guests and the pacing stays deliberate. For more tables in this register, see the best tasting menus worldwide and the city's Japanese restaurants.
The Room
ES is small and pared back: white walls, pale wood, and a single row of well-spaced tables for roughly twenty covers. There is little music, so the sound stays low and conversation carries; lighting is even and bright rather than candlelit, which suits the look-at-the-plate style of the food. Service is quiet and exact. Dress is smart but not formal, and most guests arrive in business or smart-casual clothes. Because the room is so contained, a single loud table changes the mood, so it rewards a calm evening. Sit facing the small open pass if you want to watch the plating.
Best for Impressing a Client
Restaurant ES works for a client dinner for three reasons. The one-star kitchen and fixed tasting menu signal that you have chosen carefully without needing to explain why, and the calm white room keeps the focus on conversation rather than spectacle. Second, the format is easy to host: a set menu means no fumbling over the carte, and the €105 dinner is high-end without tipping into the eye-watering. Third, the central 7th location near the Bon Marché and Rue du Bac is simple for a guest to reach. Book a few weeks out, ask for a corner table, and let the cauliflower do the talking. For more rooms in this vein, see our impress clients guide.
Not for
Not for a big celebration or a group: the room holds about twenty, the menu is fixed, and a noisy table of six has nowhere to go.
Frequently Asked
Is Restaurant ES worth it?
Yes, for precise, quietly ambitious cooking at a gentler price than many one-star Paris rooms. Chef Takayuki Honjo, who trained at L'Astrance and Tokyo's Quintessence, runs a short tasting menu that has held a Michelin star since 2015. The signature roasted cauliflower with grated brioche shows the style: one ingredient, treated with real care. Dinner is €105 before wine. See our Paris dining guide for more.
How much does Restaurant ES cost?
Plan on €105 per person for the dinner tasting menu, before wine. Lunch is the cheaper way in at €42 or €55 for a shorter menu on weekdays. That places ES among the more affordable one-star tables in central Paris, though wine pairings and additions push the total higher. Book ahead, as the room seats only about twenty.
What is the signature dish at Restaurant ES?
The dish to order is le chou-fleur à la brioche, a head of cauliflower roasted then grilled on one side like a tartine and finished with brioche grated over the top. It captures Honjo's approach: take one humble vegetable and give it the attention usually reserved for a luxury ingredient. The rest of the fixed menu changes with the market, so trust the kitchen.
Where is Restaurant ES and how do I book?
Restaurant ES is at 91 rue de Grenelle in the 7th arrondissement, near the Bon Marché and the Rue du Bac métro. Reserve through the restaurant's website or by phone on +33 1 45 51 25 74, ideally two to three weeks ahead for dinner. The dining room is intimate and the tasting menu is set, so confirm any dietary needs when you book.
Is Restaurant ES good for a business dinner?
Yes, it suits a small, considered client dinner. The one-star kitchen and set menu signal care without ostentation, the white room stays calm enough for conversation, and the central 7th address is easy for a guest to reach. For a larger group or a celebration it is too small. See our impress clients guide for alternatives.
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Reservations recommended; book two to three weeks ahead for dinner.
Affiliate disclosure: Restaurants for Kings may earn a commission when you book through our reservation links, at no cost to you. Our scores are editorial and never paid for.
Practical Information
Address91 rue de Grenelle, 75007 Paris
NeighbourhoodGros-Caillou / Palais-Bourbon (7th)
CuisineJapanese-French tasting menu
Price€105 dinner; lunch €42–55
SignatureLe chou-fleur à la brioche
RecognitionOne Michelin star (since 2015)
ReservationBook ahead; phone +33 1 45 51 25 74
Dress codeSmart casual
