My friend @drbluman is headed to Paris (and Berlin) for the first time. As he's helped me get familiar with the restaurant scene here in NYC, I thought I'd ask a couple frequent Paris-goers for help in recommending places he should check out in the City of Light.

Stuff that's more toward the casual/neighborhood gem side of things as opposed to the 3-stars (not because those aren't interesting, but because there's an easily obtainable list of those.)

One I definitely wanted to check out, but didn't, was Relais Entrecote. All they do is steak frites.

@nelson - what was the name of the zinc bar we went to? That stands out for me.

You're thinking of Le Petit Zinc near Metro St. Germain. It is good although I suspect few Parisian natives eat there. Friendly and beautiful though, and good food. It is very near my favorite of the Relais Entrecote joints (the one in the 6th) which are a bit wacky but good for a quick, tasty meal.

My favorite neighborhood place is Au Bourguignon du Marais. I haven't been in a few years but I'm assured it is still good. I'm also quite fond of Le Caveau du Palais. And Pharamond is quite remarkable for its decor and excellent traditional bistro menu.

Finally, this blog guide to Paris restaurants looks useful and of the moment: parisbymouth.com

Restaurant links:

petit-zinc.com
yelp.com
tripadvisor.com
pharamond.fr
relaisentrecote.fr

Thanks! All of these places look great, and Paris by Mouth looks like an excellent resource, too.

Any other personal favorite suggestions would be most welcome as well!

My info's a bit stale at this point (went in 2006), but I really enjoyed Moissonnier, a Lyonnaise place in the 5e, near the Jussieu metro. Great black pudding, among other things. plus.google.com

Also really liked Le Machon d'Henri over by the Jardin de Luxembourg.

While not a "neighborhood gem" Alain Ducasse's "casual" restaurant Spoon was a fave last time I visited. It's cool to see one of the big guns doing something inventive and new.

In terms of drinks, my favorite place is Bar Hemingway at the Ritz. Which is stupid pricey (like 30 euro drinks or something.) But! is super cozy and fun, has great Hemingway memorabilia.

I also like the bar at the Georges V.