If you are trying to make a reservation at Girafe, Instagram’s most popular café overlooking the Eiffel Tower I am sure that you’ve already noticed that booking a table there is not an easy job.
Lucky for you, we have all the tips and tricks that you need to know to secure a table with the most incredible Eiffel Tower views.
Let’s start with the most important thing you need to know:
How far in advance can you book Girafe Paris?
Reservations at Girafe, Paris open up a week in advance and the easiest way to get one is by calling directly to the restaurant on Monday at 10.00 am Paris time, instead of trying to book online.
If after you set up your alarm and made a call to France you still can’t get a reservation you can try some of the other tricks that I share below.
How to make a reservation at Girafe, Paris
The Girafe opens up reservations 7 days in advance and you can book a table online, by phone, or even in person. Each option has its own tables allotted which means that even if you see that reservations are booked online you still can get one on the phone
01. Enter their reservation website at 07.00 am Paris time
Every day, new tables for the upcoming week are made available on their official website. This means that, for instance, if you visit the website on a Monday, you’ll be able to see and make reservations for the entire upcoming week, up until the following Monday. Similarly, if you visit the website on a Thursday, you’ll have access to reservations up to the next Thursday.
Reservations typically become available between 7:00 am and 8:00 am Paris time (GMT+2). So, the best advice is to wake up early to ensure you’re one of the first people to log in to their booking page.
There is a myth that you can only book lunch through the website but that is not true, you can get a reservation online for 12.00 noon, 07.00 pm, and 10.00 pm.
02. Call the restaurant at 10.00 am Paris time
You can also secure reservations for the upcoming week by making a phone call to their official number: +33 1 40 62 70 61. The good thing about this option is that you can book up to two weeks in advance but the downside is that they get over 1,000 calls per day which makes it really hard to get an answer.
The restaurant opens at noon, but the staff starts their day at 10:00 AM. Therefore, it’s advisable to call them at that time to reach them before the day gets busier and the available tables get filled up.
As I mentioned before, they have several tables allocated to different booking methods which means that even if a date is sold out on their website you still have a chance to catch it by phone.
03. Make an in-person reservation
In-person reservations are usually easier to get but the downside is that you need to be there physically. Despite this, I think this is a great choice if you are starting your Eurotrip in Paris knowing that you will come back to the city later.
If you ask me, I always recommend pairing Paris with a visit to the French Riviera towns so you can always arrive in Paris, catch a train to Nice to base yourself and get back to Paris for the last couple days of your trip.
04. Download the Paris Society app
Paris Society is the company that owns Girafe, along with several popular hotels in Paris and around the world. An unknown yet highly effective method to make a reservation at Girafe is by downloading the Paris Society app (only available for IOs users), which provides access to tables exclusively for app users.
05. Show up without a reservation at 18.50
The restaurant opens up for dinner at 19.00 so if you want to try your luck you can arrive at the restaurant at 18.50 and ask to be placed on the waiting list in case there is a no-show. Typically, if by 19.30 a table doesn’t show up they will give it to you.
While some people have reported getting a table using this hack, I don’t recommend it if you are celebrating a special occasion since there are many chances that you won’t get a table at all. Girafe takes credit cards to secure reservations so there are really few chances that people simply won’t show up.
Girafe Paris Menu: How much does the restaurant cost?
A meal with an entree, main dish, and one cocktail can cost you up to €90 per person at Girafe. However, if you want to visit it on a limited budget you can always get a mix of small side dishes such as grilled avocado salad and truffle linguine for €10-15 each.
Expect to pay €35 for fish dishes such as Tuna or Salmon, €58 for lobster with linguini and tomatoes, and €30 for a half dozen oysters.
You can always use this link to check the Girafe menu before booking a table (last updated September 2023).
You can check their menu at their official website to budget your visit.
Is splurging at Girafe worth it?
While the food at Girafe is delicious, you actually pay for the views. If you are a foodie looking for a gourmet experience I recommend you to skip Girafe as there are better restaurants in Paris, but if great food, a trendy vibe, and the most incredible views of the Eiffel Tower are what you want then Girafe is perfect for you.
Alternatives to Girafe: Best restaurants with Eiffel Tower views
If you can’t get a table at Girafe Paris, I suggest you to check out Café D’l Homme and Bambini, two alternative options located around Trocadero that provide nearly identical views to Girafe and even offer more affordable prices.