Lunch at Madame Brasserie puts you inside the Eiffel Tower, with Paris spread out beyond the restaurant’s windows. The ticket includes a lift to the first floor and a three-course meal, so the experience combines a meal with time at one of the city’s most famous sights.
I like two things here: the first-floor access is built into the meal, and the set menu gives you a taste of French brasserie cooking without having to plan a separate lunch stop. The tower’s first floor is also worth a wander after you eat, with open views of the Seine and Champ de Mars.
The trade-off is that you’re paying for the setting as much as the food. The room can be crowded, seating matters, and reports on the dishes range from very good to merely adequate. This ticket covers only the first floor, not the second floor or summit.
- At a glance
- A first-floor lunch with a famous address
- Getting to the restaurant and up the tower
- The meal: three courses, with drinks as an extra
- What the view is really worth
- How much time to allow
- Is the price worth it?
- Getting there and packing smart
- Who should book Madame Brasserie?
- FAQ
- What does the basic ticket include?
- Are drinks included?
- Does the ticket include access to the second floor or summit?
- What time should I arrive?
- Where do I collect the lift ticket?
- Can children aged 0 to 3 join?
- Is luggage storage available?
- How can I get to the Eiffel Tower?
- The Best Of Paris!
- More Lunch Experiences in Paris
- More Tours in Paris
- More Tour Reviews in Paris
- Not for you? Here's more nearby things to do in Paris we have reviewed
At a glance
1 / 9
2 / 9
3 / 9
4 / 9
5 / 9
6 / 9
7 / 9
8 / 9
9 / 9- Lunch comes with lift access: Check in at Madame Brasserie’s reception to collect your lift ticket for the first floor.
- Two lunch times are offered: Choose 12:00 pm or 1:30 pm, and arrive at the restaurant booth 30 minutes early.
- The basic meal is three courses: It includes a starter, main course, and dessert. Drinks are not included in the basic package.
- Seating affects the view: A Seine River Side option costs more than Center of Brasserie seating, but a specific window table is not guaranteed.
- The tower ticket has a limit: You can visit the first floor, but access to the second floor and summit requires a separate ticket.
- Expect a special-occasion price: You’re paying for the location, the meal, and the convenience of access, not just the food.
👉 See our pick of the 25 Best Shopping Tours In Paris
A first-floor lunch with a famous address
Madame Brasserie occupies the Eiffel Tower’s first floor, where the appeal is plain: you can sit down to lunch inside the monument, then step out to see Paris from above. It’s a memorable way to mark a first visit, celebrate a birthday, or give a family sightseeing day a proper pause.
Chef Thierry Marx’s menus draw on French brasserie cooking, with seasonal touches and classic dishes. Depending on the menu, you might see options such as foie gras, pulled duck confit, or chocolate mousse. The exact menu can change, so treat those dishes as examples rather than promises.
The meal is a set three-course lunch: starter, main, and dessert. That format is useful if you want a planned meal and a clear structure to the visit. It also means you may have less flexibility than you would with an à la carte meal, and the dishes might not suit every taste.
The food is the most variable part of the experience. Some diners find the cooking delicious and praise the dessert; others find the food average or feel it falls short of the price. I’d book for the unusual setting and the tower access, with the food as an important part of the outing but not the sole reason to go.
You can also read our reviews of more tours and experiences in Paris
Getting to the restaurant and up the tower
The meeting point is at the Eiffel Tower, at Champ de Mars, 75007 Paris. Before heading to the lift, go to the Madame Brasserie reception between the North and East Pillars. This is not the same as simply joining the general ticket line, so look for the restaurant reception and allow time to find it.
Arrive at the booth 30 minutes before your reservation. For a 12:00 pm lunch, the stated check-in time is 11:30 am; for a 1:30 pm lunch, arrive at 1:00 pm. Staff issue the lift ticket there and direct you onward. You can show either a printed voucher or a mobile one.
The process is not always as quick as the phrase priority access might suggest. You still need to pass security, and queues or lift waits can affect your arrival time upstairs. One lunch party with a noon reservation reported a half-hour lift wait and reached the restaurant at 12:30. That is a useful reason to arrive early, not at the last minute.
Once upstairs, staff guide you to the brasserie. Several diners found the check-in process clear and helpful, while others found the ticket collection point tricky to locate at first. Follow the instructions carefully, and if you are unsure, ask staff at the restaurant reception rather than joining a queue at random.
The meal: three courses, with drinks as an extra
The base Brasserie Menu without Drink includes a starter, main course, and dessert. Drinks are not included in that option, despite the restaurant’s broader menu packages offering drinks. You can order beverages separately, but budget for them if you want wine, beer, or another drink with lunch.
Other packages include the Madame Menu with a drink, with a choice of Center of Brasserie or Seine River Side seating. The drink-inclusive options cost more, and the Seine River Side option is priced above the center seating. Check the exact package name at booking so you know whether drinks are included and which seating category you selected.
The menu is seasonal, and the listed dishes are for guidance only. That’s worth keeping in mind if you’re choosing the meal for a particular dish or have a strong preference. The set format can make service feel brisk, especially when the dining room is busy; it can also help keep lunch moving when you have sightseeing planned afterward.
Portions and flavor are matters of taste, but the overall pattern is clear: the presentation and dessert can please, while some mains and other dishes may seem less impressive than the setting. One diner found the chocolate dessert especially good, while others described the food as average. If you expect a long, leisurely gourmet meal, this may not be the right fit.
What the view is really worth
The view is a major part of the ticket’s value, but your experience depends on where you sit. The more expensive Seine River Side package is intended for seating on that side of the restaurant, while the Center of Brasserie option is the lower-cost choice. The center seating can mean a less open view, and even the pricier option should not be treated as a guarantee of a window table.
Some diners who paid for a side-seating package were disappointed to find themselves away from the window. Seating arrangements and the room’s capacity can shape what you see from your table, so keep expectations measured. If a view during lunch is central to your plans, choose the Seine River Side package and confirm the seating details when you book, while understanding that the precise table may still depend on restaurant arrangements.
You can also enjoy the tower’s first-floor views after the meal. That gives you time to step away from the table, take photographs, and look out toward the Seine and the surrounding city. It’s a practical consolation if your seat is not ideal, though it isn’t quite the same as dining beside the windows.
How much time to allow
The experience runs around a fixed lunch reservation, but the supplied details do not set a guaranteed total duration. The table may be needed for another seating, so don’t assume you can linger indefinitely. One diner with a noon reservation was reminded to leave the table by 1:30 pm; the actual pace may vary.
Build in time for security, check-in, lift queues, and the meal itself. A lunch reservation is not a promise that you will be seated at the exact minute, especially during busy periods. Arriving 30 minutes early gives you a better chance of getting through the process calmly.
The restaurant can be busy, and some diners have found the seating close together or service rushed. Others praise the staff for being attentive and helpful, including with menu explanations and photographs. Go expecting a popular dining room rather than a hushed, drawn-out restaurant experience.
Is the price worth it?
The listed starting price is $87.29, while the package information also shows options from $79.35 for the Brasserie Menu without a drink. Prices depend on the package and can change, so compare the final price for your date before you book.
To judge value, separate the meal from the setting. A three-course lunch in an ordinary Paris restaurant might be a more sensible choice if your main goal is the best food for your money. Here, the price also covers a meal in the Eiffel Tower and lift access to its first floor, which saves you from treating lunch and tower entry as two unrelated plans.
The least expensive package makes the most sense if you value the location and don’t mind paying separately for drinks. If you want a drink included or care more about the river-facing seating category, compare the higher-priced Madame Menu packages. The extra cost may suit a special occasion, but it does not remove the possibility of crowded seating or food that feels only average.
For families, the meal can make a landmark visit easier to organize: everyone has a reservation and a planned lunch stop. Children aged 0 to 3 can use the lift to the restaurant for free, but no meal is served for them. Remember that the ticket does not extend to the second floor or summit, which need separate tickets.
Getting there and packing smart
The Eiffel Tower is in Paris’s 7th Arrondissement. You can reach the area by Metro at Bir-Hakeim on Line 6, École Militaire on Line 8, or Trocadéro on Line 9. The Champ de Mars Tour Eiffel station is on RER Line C, and buses 30, 42, 69, 82, and 86 also serve the area.
If you’re arriving by car, the Pullman Tour Eiffel car park is about 300 meters away, and Quai Branly is about 500 meters away. Batobus also stops at the Eiffel Tower. Choose your route with enough time to reach the restaurant reception before your reservation.
There is no luggage storage at the venue, and large bags cannot be stored during the experience. Leave suitcases and bulky bags at your accommodation or in your vehicle. Smart casual clothing is suggested for the restaurant’s fine-dining atmosphere, so you can look presentable without packing formalwear.
Who should book Madame Brasserie?
I’d consider this lunch if you want a memorable Eiffel Tower experience that includes a proper meal, not just a quick stop for photographs. It suits first-time visitors, families who prefer a scheduled lunch, and anyone marking a special occasion. The combination of a three-course meal and first-floor access can make the cost feel reasonable if the setting is a key part of the day.
I’d skip it if your top priority is exceptional food at the lowest price, a quiet meal, or access to the summit. The dining room can be busy, the food is not uniformly praised, and the ticket only covers the first floor. For a better chance at the river-facing view, choose the Seine River Side package, but don’t count on a guaranteed window seat.
Book it for the setting and the convenience, with realistic expectations about the meal. Arrive early, travel light, and plan a separate ticket if the second floor or summit is on your must-see list.
Eiffel Tower Madame Brasserie Lunch Experience with Priority Access
“There were 8 people on this trip, and we booked online very early, which was convenient and quick.”
FAQ
What does the basic ticket include?
The basic Brasserie Menu without Drink includes a three-course lunch with a starter, main course, and dessert, plus a lift ticket to the Eiffel Tower’s first floor.
Are drinks included?
Drinks are not included in the basic Brasserie Menu without Drink package. Other package options include a drink, so check the package details before booking.
Does the ticket include access to the second floor or summit?
No. The ticket includes access to the first floor only. Access to the second floor and summit is not included and can be booked separately.
What time should I arrive?
Arrive at the Madame Brasserie booth 30 minutes before your reservation. For a 12:00 pm lunch, the stated arrival time is 11:30 am; for a 1:30 pm lunch, it is 1:00 pm.
Where do I collect the lift ticket?
Go to the Madame Brasserie reception between the North and East Pillars of the Eiffel Tower. Staff there provide the lift ticket for the first floor.
Can children aged 0 to 3 join?
Yes. Children aged 0 to 3 can use the lift to the restaurant for free, but no meal is served for them.
Is luggage storage available?
No. The venue has no luggage storage, and large bags cannot be stored during the activity. Leave them at your accommodation or in your vehicle.
How can I get to the Eiffel Tower?
You can travel by Metro to Bir-Hakeim, École Militaire, or Trocadéro; by RER to Champ de Mars Tour Eiffel; by bus on routes 30, 42, 69, 82, or 86; or by Batobus to the Eiffel Tower stop.
