With over 5,000 bars, Paris offers something for every version of a night out — the historic café where Hemingway drank, the inventive cocktail bar that ranks among the world's best, the natural wine bar where locals gather after work, the karaoke box where birthdays get properly celebrated. Here are twelve that represent the best of the city after dark.
A natural wine bar in the lively Pigalle neighbourhood that has quickly become one of the most beloved addresses in Paris for those in the know. Small plates, exceptional low-intervention wines, and the kind of convivial atmosphere where you always end up talking to the table next to you.
One of the most acclaimed cocktail bars in Paris — the bar of the Hôtel Lancaster on the Rue de Berri, run with extraordinary precision. The cocktails are technically impeccable, the atmosphere is refined, and the service is some of the best in Paris. Come for an aperitivo before dinner on the Champs-Élysées.
Consistently ranked among the world's best bars — Little Red Door in the Marais has a remarkable cocktail program built around seasonality and French terroir. Each cocktail is a narrative about a place or a season. Intimate, thoughtful, and extraordinary.
A tiny, dimly lit taqueria with an even tinier hidden bar behind a secret door in the back. La Candelaria has one of the best mezcal and tequila selections in Europe, and the cocktails made with them are remarkable. Discovered by very few; loved by all of them.
The bar where the Bloody Mary and the Sidecar were allegedly invented. Harry's New York Bar has been part of Paris since 1911 — Hemingway drank here, Gershwin composed on the piano downstairs. It is not fashionable, it is not particularly cheap, but it is completely irreplaceable.
The bar of the Hôtel Bristol is one of the most beautiful rooms in Paris — richly panelled wood, English club atmosphere, impeccable cocktails. The most civilised place in the city for a pre-dinner drink. Expensive, but worth experiencing at least once.
A beautiful Art Deco cocktail bar in the 8th arrondissement that takes classic cocktails very seriously. The house-made syrups, infusions, and bitters elevate every drink. The atmosphere is warm and grown-up — exactly the right place for an evening that starts with one cocktail and ends with three.
A natural wine bar in Saint-Germain-des-Prés that manages to be both neighbourhood local and destination bar simultaneously. The wine list is extraordinary — particularly the selection of Loire Valley wines — and the small plates are excellent. One of the best addresses in the 6th.
Paris's best karaoke bar — private rooms, excellent cocktails, and a song list that spans every decade and genre. BAM has become a Parisian institution for birthday parties, work evenings, and spontaneous nights out. More fun than you remember karaoke being.
A stylish cocktail bar on the Avenue Parmentier in the lively 11th arrondissement — creative cocktails, good music, a beautiful long bar, and the kind of atmosphere that makes you want to stay until closing. One of the best new bars in Paris.
A dedicated champagne bar in Saint-Germain-des-Prés — a rarity in Paris. Arbane specialises in grower champagnes from small, independent producers, most of which you'll never find in a shop. The selection changes regularly; the expertise is genuine. A completely different side of Paris nightlife.
A sleek cocktail bar near the Bastille with a concise menu of excellently executed drinks and a rotating selection of spirits. Less flashy than some of its neighbours, but more consistent. A reliable, grown-up choice for a night out in the 11th.
