Davé Restaurant Paris, explained fast
Paris has many Chinese restaurants, but only one has become a fashion season ritual. Davé, near Palais Royal, is a tiny address where the dining room walls brim with celebrity photos and tables turn into a backstage of runway week. Clicked for the real story and the practicals. Right choice.
Here, the equation is simple. Classic Cantonese comfort, late night service during show weeks, and a host who remembers faces. That mix has drawn models, editors and musicians for decades, while locals slip in for a low key dinner two streets from the Louvre. No velvet rope, just a door that opens if the timing works.
What makes Davé Paris different right now
The idea is not novelty. It is continuity. Davé keeps a short menu of Cantonese staples, cooks them the same way, and lets the room do the rest. Photos on the walls are not decor. They are a timeline of who has passed through when Paris was buzzing late at night. Energy first, polish second.
Location matters. The restaurant sits at 12 rue de Richelieu, 75001 Paris, close to Palais Royal and the major fashion venues. That proximity has shaped the crowd and the hours. During show periods, tables fill early and again very late, which changes the rhythm of service and the odds of getting in.
Menu, prices and what people actually order
Reading the room helps. Regulars lean into simple, shareable plates. Cantonese roasted duck with lacquered skin, sautéed prawns with ginger and scallion, stir fried greens with garlic, egg fried rice that is light and a little smoky. Portions are generous enough to pass around without over ordering.
Expect a pricing sweet spot for central Paris. Starters often land in the mid teens, mains in the high twenties to mid thirties depending on seafood or beef, rice and vegetables lower. A meal for two with tea typically sits well under the price of a tasting menu nearby, which is precisely the point.
Service reads like a conversation more than a script. Dishes arrive quickly, the room stays loud enough to feel alive, and nobody pushes dessert. If a favorite is missing from the printed card, asking for a classic off list can work, especially for a simple steamed fish with soy and spring onion.
How to get a table at Davé without the headache
The problem many readers want solved is timing. During Paris Fashion Week, walk ins after shows collide with reservations, and tables become rarer than they look from the street. Outside those peaks, early evening remains a safe bet, with a second wave later at night.
Phone still beats email. A quick call the day before helps, and confirming on the day avoids mix ups. If the plan is last minute, arriving just after opening gives the best shot at a small table for two. Larger groups should split seating or accept a short wait at the door. It works more often than expected.
One more detail that counts. The dining room is compact, with banquettes and two tops set close together. That intimacy is part of the spell and it also means bags and coats need to fit under the table. Travel light and dinner moves smoother.
For anyone building a night around Davé, the neighborhood makes it easy. Palais Royal Garden is a short walk for a quiet stroll pre or post meal, and the Louvre pyramid lights up the route home. Simple plans turn better when distance stays small.
Here is a quick cheat sheet for first timers.
- Reserve by phone when possible, and confirm the same day during show weeks
- Order shareable classics first, then add one vegetable and one rice for balance
- Go early evening or late night to reduce the wait, especially on Thursdays
- Bring cash or a primary card, and keep bags compact for tight seating
Why Davé still matters in 2025
The logic is straightforward. Restaurants that last tend to compress three things into one experience. Location that fits how the city moves, food that comforts more than it shocks, and hospitality that remembers. Davé checks those boxes with no theatrics.
Plenty has changed around it. New openings arrive every season, dining trends swing toward tasting counters or fusion ideas. Davé keeps its lane. For visitors, it offers a bite of Paris nightlife that does not require a reservation made weeks out. For locals, it is a reliable table near the center where dinner can be quick or lingered.
And yes, the photo lined walls are real, not a set piece. They track decades of guests and nights that ran long. That history is part of the attraction and also the reason patience at the door pays off. The piece many miss is simple: timing beats connections here. Get the time right and a table usually follows. This is definitly the lever that turns a plan into a seat.