The brainchild of super-chef Yves de Camdeborde, this small and scrumptious bistro set below the Relais Saint-Germain hotel is still bringing in the crowds more than a decade after its opening in 2005. Camdeborde is often credited with starting the bistronomy movement in the 1990s, when he walked out on the Crillon and opened his own bistro. He wanted to offer the French equivalent of “down home” cooking, using the best ingredients and charging affordable prices. During the day, Le Comptoir is a bistro, serving relatively traditional fare, like a slice of lamb with thyme sauce or panier de cochonaille, a basket of the Camdeborde family’s own brand of sliced smoked ham, dried sausage, and other pork-based delectables. On weeknights, it’s a temple to haute cuisine, with a tasting menu that includes as many as five different dishes. Reserve weeks in advance for this fixed-price meal, which changes nightly. If you can’t get a seat, try L’Avant Comptoir, the restaurant’s adjacent wine bar/counter serving small plates of charcuterie and seafood.