The legendary restaurant at the center of Parisian elegance and society reopens its doors with a revamped space and touch-ups from Dior Maison's artistic director.

There is no restaurant more synonymous with Paris than Maxim's, the legendary gastronomic and piano jazz haunt on the Rue Royale, equidistant between the Madeleine and the Place de la Concorde. It's where Brigitte Bardot danced barefoot late into the night, where Jane Birkin cheekily slipped Maxim's embossed china under her skirt on the way out following a holiday feast, where top 1960s-era model Antonia attempted to enter the restaurant with a live panther in tow, and where society swans, wealthy tycoons, movie stars, and celebrities mingled over French cuisine. It's an Art Nouveau fever dream of mahogany, scarlet, and gold; of sinewy mirrors and pattered glass ceilings and whiplash statement lamps.&nbsp;Nearly everyone of note has dined and danced there since its beginnings in the Belle Epoque, when a young water named Maxime Gaillard opened the bistro in 1893, just six years after the Eiffel Tower appeared across the Seine. In the century and some change since, Maxim's has survived two world wars, two global pandemics, the Great Depression, the fall of fine dining, and eras of different ownership, making it the most famous restaurant in the world. Following some beauty sleep, it's been dusted off and restored to its former Belle Epoque glory by French hospitality group Paris society, who have revitalized it for the 2020s and its 130th anniversary.
Given its closure to the public for the past 14 years, it's fair to say that Maxim's lost its luster. Maxim's lost its three Michelin stars in 1978 and, by the 1980s, the devoted client-turned-owner French designer Pierre Cardin&mdash;who accepted the former proprietor's request that he purchase it to keep it from falling into foreign hands&mdash;opened outposts in far-flung locations like Tokyo, Chicago, and Mexico City. Nevertheless, the legend lived on, and Maxim's had enough cachet to book private events and dinners, and to license its legendary name to some 200 products, including champagne, chocolates, ashtrays (obviously), perfume, silk scarves, and coffee mugs. Maxim's fell out of fashion, more so a place to relive the past than to make a moment.&nbsp;

Maxim's. Photography by Romain Ricard.

Despite its departure from cultural significance, Maxim's inspired a generation of restaurants that have become as iconic as their regulars, as symbolic to their cities as their landmarks. Without Maxim's there would be no Dan Tana's in Los Angeles, no Balthazar in Manhattan, no Sketch in London; no Keith McNally, no Mr. Chow, no Richard Caring. Hot spots come and go, but Maxim's has survived, a bastion of elegance and revelry whose formula has been imitated the world over, but never with that same cosmic snap. It's as timeless as the glistening sun; a crown jewel amongst diamonds, a sure bet as far as any sure bets go for a restaurateur to take on.&nbsp;
"I have one essential rule. No terrace? No restaurant," proclaims Laurent de Gourcuff, Pr&eacute;sident Directeur G&eacute;n&eacute;ral and mastermind behind Paris Society, one of the city's most prominent and rapidly rising hospitality groups, who took charge of Maxim's in late 2022. "But there is an exception, and one only exception, which is Maxim's." Since taking over restaurant operations, de Gourcuff's team has spent nearly 2 million euros in upgrades to bring the Art Nouveau jewel into the modern age while remaining true to the past.

For the hospitality group, which oversees other glamorous properties in Paris and across Europe, including Girafe, Gigi, and Laurent, the kitchen was the natural place to start. Since Maxim's hadn't offered daily service aside from private events in years, de Gourcuff and his team installed a new kitchen capable of serving the 160 tables spread across three floors. An institution as old as Maxim's has outlived many of its ghosts and has witnessed countless generations and eras pass by, but the menu has largely retained the same classic stalwarts: Tournedos Rossini, a beef tenderloin served with foie gras, is still on the menu 125 years later, as in Sole d'Albert, a classic piece of sole braised in vermouth and flash fried in butter (the dish is cheekily named after Albert Blaser, Maxim's legendary ma&icirc;tre d'hotel from 1934 until 1959, who knew every regular by name and was up-to-date on the current affairs so as not to sit two feuding movie stars next to one another.

"Hot spots come and go, but Maxim's has survived."

Some dishes, like the soup VGE&mdash;so named for 1970s French President Val&eacute;ry Giscard d'&Eacute;staing&mdash;have been on the menu for decades, while new arrivals, such as the American lobster or the scallop carpaccio, fit in handsomely alongside French gastronomical classics. For the menu refresh, heavier dishes were scaled back to accommodate a lighter palate, meaning less meat and fewer sauces in favor of more fish and raw plates. To entertain the jet set, there's caviar.
While the food is divine, the goal of the refresh is not to reclaim its Michelin stars, but rather something more akin to throwing a fabulous dinner party every night. "The success of our restaurants is compromised of a million different details: a fabulous sound design; thoughtful lighting; a beautiful exterior; a high level of service; an interesting mix of clients across industries like fashion, design, and politics; and excellent food that is of the times," says de Gourcuff. "But you'll never see something served under a glass bell with vapor and a name you don't recognize."&nbsp;

Maxim's The Wild Mushroom Tarte. Photography by Romain Ricard.

<text class="_textbox_mtetp_15" direction="ltr" height="7.45999145507812" lengthadjust="spacingAndGlyphs" textlength="245.117950439453" x="306.920013427734" y="-285.5" data-test="textbox">These days, waiters in tuxedos and bow ties flit about the </text><text class="_textbox_mtetp_15" direction="ltr" height="7.23001098632812" lengthadjust="spacingAndGlyphs" textlength="244.870910644531" x="307.140014648438" y="-273.5" data-test="textbox">grand room, cocktails in hand or carving the Henri IV poulet </text><text class="_textbox_mtetp_15" direction="ltr" height="7.23001098632812" lengthadjust="spacingAndGlyphs" textlength="244.802947998047" x="307.230010986328" y="-261.5" data-test="textbox">tableside for two, while models in strappy heels and discreet </text><text class="_textbox_mtetp_15" direction="ltr" height="7.23001098632812" lengthadjust="spacingAndGlyphs" textlength="244.628967285156" x="307.369995117188" y="-249.5" data-test="textbox">diamonds perch at their tables over candlelight, perhaps for </text><text class="_textbox_mtetp_15" direction="ltr" height="7.22999572753906" lengthadjust="spacingAndGlyphs" textlength="244.788055419922" x="307.230010986328" y="-237.5" data-test="textbox">the first time, alongside a well-appointed couple who no </text><text class="_textbox_mtetp_15" direction="ltr" height="7.31001281738281" lengthadjust="spacingAndGlyphs" textlength="247.140991210938" x="307.369995117188" y="-225.5" data-test="textbox">doubt have dined at Maxim&rsquo;s since they first met decades </text><text class="_textbox_mtetp_15" direction="ltr" height="7.46000671386719" lengthadjust="spacingAndGlyphs" textlength="244.526000976562" x="307.429992675781" y="-213.5" data-test="textbox">ago. The dress code, asking guests to dress smartly and men </text><text class="_textbox_mtetp_15" direction="ltr" height="7.22999572753906" lengthadjust="spacingAndGlyphs" textlength="244.767059326172" x="307.230010986328" y="-201.5" data-test="textbox">to wear a jacket, still exists, albeit more as a casual suggestion </text><text class="_textbox_mtetp_15" direction="ltr" height="7.47000122070312" lengthadjust="spacingAndGlyphs" textlength="244.387969970703" x="307.600006103516" y="-189.5" data-test="textbox">(a handful of jackets are on hand at the coat check should a </text><text class="_textbox_mtetp_15" direction="ltr" height="7.47000122070312" lengthadjust="spacingAndGlyphs" textlength="247.426879882812" x="307.140014648438" y="-177.5" data-test="textbox">gentleman be in need), as a way to honor and respect Maxim&rsquo;s. </text><text class="_textbox_mtetp_15" direction="ltr" height="7.41999816894531" lengthadjust="spacingAndGlyphs" textlength="247.574951171875" x="307" y="-165.5" data-test="textbox">And if there ever were a place to dress up for dinner, Maxim&rsquo;s </text><text class="_textbox_mtetp_15" direction="ltr" height="7.22999572753906" lengthadjust="spacingAndGlyphs" textlength="47.8920288085938" x="306.869995117188" y="-153.5" data-test="textbox">would be it.</text>
The restaurant looks largely like it did when Barbra Streisand celebrated the premiere of Yentl in 1983, or when Salvador Dal&iacute; arrived with a live rabbit he sent to the kitchen to serve for dinner. Dior Maison&rsquo;s Artistic Director Cordelia de Castellane, who worked on the revitalization project, did make some slight upgrades.
<text class="_textbox_mtetp_15" direction="ltr" height="7.30999755859375" lengthadjust="spacingAndGlyphs" textlength="247.186096191406" x="307.309997558594" y="-45.5" data-test="textbox">&ldquo;My only vision was to bring it to life again,&rdquo; says de Castellane." </text><text class="_textbox_mtetp_15" direction="ltr" height="7.30999755859375" lengthadjust="spacingAndGlyphs" textlength="247.228820800781" x="307.309997558594" y="-33.5" data-test="textbox">Maxim&rsquo;s is a very rare and beautiful stone; it needed a bit of <text class="_textbox_mtetp_15" direction="ltr" height="7.30999755859375" lengthadjust="spacingAndGlyphs" textlength="247.151794433594" x="672.429992675781" y="-417.5" data-test="textbox">a refresh, but I wouldn&rsquo;t dare change the decor.&rdquo; Not that she </text><text class="_textbox_mtetp_15" direction="ltr" height="7.23001098632812" lengthadjust="spacingAndGlyphs" textlength="247.698852539062" x="671.869995117188" y="-405.5" data-test="textbox">would be able to even if she dared&mdash;the ornate walls, designed </text><text class="_textbox_mtetp_15" direction="ltr" height="7.23001098632812" lengthadjust="spacingAndGlyphs" textlength="244.992919921875" x="672.02001953125" y="-393.5" data-test="textbox">by Louis Marne with their pre-Raphaelite murals, glittering </text><text class="_textbox_mtetp_15" direction="ltr" height="7.42001342773438" lengthadjust="spacingAndGlyphs" textlength="244.646850585938" x="672.359985351562" y="-381.5" data-test="textbox">mirrors, Art Nouveau sconces, and carved mahogany panels, </text><text class="_textbox_mtetp_15" direction="ltr" height="7.23001098632812" lengthadjust="spacingAndGlyphs" textlength="244.699951171875" x="672.260009765625" y="-369.5" data-test="textbox">have been classified and protected as historical monuments </text><text class="_textbox_mtetp_15" direction="ltr" height="7.04998779296875" lengthadjust="spacingAndGlyphs" textlength="43.0220336914062" x="672.409973144531" y="-357.5" data-test="textbox">since 1979.&nbsp;</text></text>

One could call her refresh an am&eacute;lioration, a surface-level rejuvenation with subtle touch-ups, to bring the iconic locale into the contemporary age. Gone are the dusty lampshades, replaced with small tableside lanterns, along with new custom tableware from Bernardaud, new throw pillows with punch florals on the lipstick-red velvet banquets, relaid carpet, and a new lighting and sound design. On the third floor a winter garden fumoir allows for the cheeky indoor cigarette under a magnificent cherry red&ndash;and-white stained-glass inverted chandelier by Louis Comfort Tiffany that de Castellane paired with a tiger stripe rug underfoot.
<text class="_textbox_mtetp_15" direction="ltr" height="7.34001159667969" lengthadjust="spacingAndGlyphs" textlength="240.311950683594" x="672.289978027344" y="-189.5" data-test="textbox">De Castellane&rsquo;s ties to the restaurant are not only profes</text><text class="_textbox_mtetp_15" direction="ltr" height="7.22999572753906" lengthadjust="spacingAndGlyphs" textlength="244.566955566406" x="672.409973144531" y="-177.5" data-test="textbox">sional, but personal as well: her family members, including </text><text class="_textbox_mtetp_15" direction="ltr" height="7.22999572753906" lengthadjust="spacingAndGlyphs" textlength="247.281005859375" x="672.260009765625" y="-165.5" data-test="textbox">her ancestor Boni de Castellane, a Belle Epoque&ndash;era dandy, </text><text class="_textbox_mtetp_15" direction="ltr" height="7.34001159667969" lengthadjust="spacingAndGlyphs" textlength="247.683959960938" x="671.869995117188" y="-153.5" data-test="textbox">were important clients of Maxim&rsquo;s, and, in 1978, her parents </text><text class="_textbox_mtetp_15" direction="ltr" height="7.31001281738281" lengthadjust="spacingAndGlyphs" textlength="247.64794921875" x="671.869995117188" y="-141.5" data-test="textbox">were wed there. Maxim&rsquo;s has celebrated many marriages over </text><text class="_textbox_mtetp_15" direction="ltr" height="7.22999572753906" lengthadjust="spacingAndGlyphs" textlength="247.280883789062" x="672.22998046875" y="-129.5" data-test="textbox">the years&mdash;there was fashion influencer Camille Charri&egrave;re </text><text class="_textbox_mtetp_15" direction="ltr" height="7.23000335693359" lengthadjust="spacingAndGlyphs" textlength="247.073913574219" x="672.429992675781" y="-117.5" data-test="textbox">and Fran&ccedil;ois Larpin, and this past summer the publishing </text><text class="_textbox_mtetp_15" direction="ltr" height="7.41999816894531" lengthadjust="spacingAndGlyphs" textlength="244.566040039062" x="672.409973144531" y="-105.5" data-test="textbox">scion Alexandre Assouline and wife Solange Assouline </text><text class="_textbox_mtetp_15" direction="ltr" height="7.47000122070312" lengthadjust="spacingAndGlyphs" textlength="244.067138671875" x="672.909973144531" y="-93.5" data-test="textbox">[maiden name Pin], who works in business development at </text><text class="_textbox_mtetp_15" direction="ltr" height="7.30999755859375" lengthadjust="spacingAndGlyphs" textlength="247.116943359375" x="672.390014648438" y="-81.5" data-test="textbox">Lightbox Jewelry. &ldquo;We actually decided to get married in </text><text class="_textbox_mtetp_15" direction="ltr" height="7.30999755859375" lengthadjust="spacingAndGlyphs" textlength="215.425964355469" x="672.309997558594" y="-69.5" data-test="textbox">Paris because that&rsquo;s where Maxim&rsquo;s is,&rdquo; says Solange.</text>
<text class="_textbox_mtetp_15" direction="ltr" height="7.30999755859375" lengthadjust="spacingAndGlyphs" textlength="241.041931152344" x="672.309997558594" y="-45.5" data-test="textbox">&ldquo;Maxim&rsquo;s is known to have hosted some of the most glamorous</text><text class="_textbox_mtetp_15" direction="ltr" height="7.22999954223633" lengthadjust="spacingAndGlyphs" textlength="244.655944824219" x="672.349975585938" y="-33.5" data-test="textbox">&nbsp;nights in Paris, even in the world. Over decades, people <text class="_textbox_mtetp_15" direction="ltr" height="7.22998046875" lengthadjust="spacingAndGlyphs" textlength="247.241088867188" x="929.369995117188" y="-549.5" data-test="textbox">came there to have fun, to meet, to escape...you really feel it i</text><text class="_textbox_mtetp_15" direction="ltr" height="7.41998291015625" lengthadjust="spacingAndGlyphs" textlength="247.330932617188" x="929.260009765625" y="-537.5" data-test="textbox">n the atmosphere,&rdquo; says Alexandre. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s very Parisian, but at </text><text class="_textbox_mtetp_15" direction="ltr" height="7.3399658203125" lengthadjust="spacingAndGlyphs" textlength="215.516967773438" x="929.22998046875" y="-525.5" data-test="textbox">the same time you feel transported to another world."</text></text>

The refreshed ground floor dining room of Maxim’s. Photography by Romain Ricard.

<text class="_textbox_mtetp_15" direction="ltr" height="7.45999145507812" lengthadjust="spacingAndGlyphs" textlength="247.257995605469" x="929.309997558594" y="-501.5" data-test="textbox">&ldquo;This new chapter for Maxim&rsquo;s is so exciting for us,&rdquo; adds </text><text class="_textbox_mtetp_15" direction="ltr" height="7.33999633789062" lengthadjust="spacingAndGlyphs" textlength="246.970947265625" x="929.650024414062" y="-489.5" data-test="textbox">Solange. &ldquo;We love to see renewed enthusiasm for a place that </text><text class="_textbox_mtetp_15" direction="ltr" height="7.23001098632812" lengthadjust="spacingAndGlyphs" textlength="244.852783203125" x="929.260009765625" y="-477.5" data-test="textbox">is so dear to our hearts as more people, especially younger </text><text class="_textbox_mtetp_15" direction="ltr" height="7.33999633789062" lengthadjust="spacingAndGlyphs" textlength="165.005004882812" x="929.140014648438" y="-465.5" data-test="textbox">generations, discover this magical place.&rdquo;</text>
<text class="_textbox_mtetp_15" direction="ltr" height="7.23001098632812" lengthadjust="spacingAndGlyphs" textlength="247.397033691406" x="929.200012207031" y="-441.5" data-test="textbox">In honoring the past without reinventing the wheel&mdash;save </text><text class="_textbox_mtetp_15" direction="ltr" height="7.33999633789062" lengthadjust="spacingAndGlyphs" textlength="247.35205078125" x="929.25" y="-429.5" data-test="textbox">for a few 21st-century upgrades&mdash;Maxim&rsquo;s has reclaimed </text><text class="_textbox_mtetp_15" direction="ltr" height="7.23001098632812" lengthadjust="spacingAndGlyphs" textlength="240.486083984375" x="929.260009765625" y="-417.5" data-test="textbox">its former glory and restored its rightful position: as quintes</text><text class="_textbox_mtetp_15" direction="ltr" height="7.44000244140625" lengthadjust="spacingAndGlyphs" textlength="244.664978027344" x="929.409973144531" y="-405.5" data-test="textbox">sentially Parisian as the Eiffel Tower, Croque Monsieurs, the </text><text class="_textbox_mtetp_15" direction="ltr" height="7.23001098632812" lengthadjust="spacingAndGlyphs" textlength="213.252990722656" x="929.309997558594" y="-393.5" data-test="textbox">Bouquinistes, Christian Dior, and wisteria in spring.</text>

Historic Paris Hot Spot Maxim's Reopens With a New Aesthetic

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