Josh, For a really inexpensive and fun night you might try La Cave au l'os à Moelle in the 15th. It's a tiny restaurant in a wine shop that has three communal style tables. The food is all served family style, meaning you help yourself to the 5-course meal being served each night--all for 20 €. And the wine's not marked up, you just pick your bottle from the shelves. The restaurant shares the same kitchen with L'Os a Moelle, next door,which gets rave reviews. Main courses are served from a large pot on an old fashioned stove and I've had things like: Coq au Vin, pig cheeks with lentils (they're delicious really!), etc. As for speaking French, definitly use as much as you can. Bonjour, merci, S'il vous plait and parlez vous Anglais, will get you far. I hate to see English speakers who make no attempt at the language and assume that everyone speaks English. It's very arrogant! Imagine someone coming to the States who couldn't even say "hello" or "thankyou" It's unthinkable, but many many Anglophones do just that when visiting Paris.