Girafe Restaurant
the Eiffel Tower–facing terrace at sunset
Seafood with skyline drama facing the Eiffel Tower. Chic crowd, crisp service, and a terrace that shines at sunset.
In Chaillot, Paris. Easy to fold into a morning or a longer afternoon; there's usually something else worth a stop within a few minutes' walk.
Girafe is a seafood restaurant opened in 2018 inside the Cité de l'Architecture on Place du Trocadéro in Paris's 16th arrondissement, with one of the best direct views of the Eiffel Tower. The interior was designed by Joseph Dirand in a 1930s spirit (cream banquettes, marble bar, tropical plants), drawing a glamorous socialite crowd. The menu centers on fresh fruits de mer — oysters, langoustines, crab, sea urchin — alongside dishes like sea bass and lobster pasta. Reviews consistently praise the view, terrace, and seafood quality while noting it is expensive and very hard to book; service reviews are mixed. This corroborates the curator's notes on seafood, skyline drama, the chic crowd, and the sunset terrace.