The local take
Those small wine bars lead this list, usually with cheese, charcuterie or inventive small plates and staff happy to steer you toward something new. Saint-Germain pairs them with an intimate jazz club and elegant cocktail lounges, and speakeasy-style bars across the center take classic cocktails seriously. Head east to Belleville and the 11th for a looser night: neighborhood bars where strangers end up chatting, rooftops at sunset, canal-side terraces and a dive bar that clears the floor for dancing.
Bigger nights mean small concert halls for rock and electro, and clubs in some unexpected settings. Our local guides picked every bar and club here, each with a note on why it's worth the trip.
BarsA Lot of Wine
Not only will you discover an impressive and very large wine selection at A Lot of Wine, but this wine cellar also stocks other alcoholic fermented beverages that fall under the…
Paris, 4th arrondissementRecommended by Mathilde D.
Cocktail LoungesBar Nouveau
Bar Nouveau proves how much you can do and utilize when given a small space to work with, and by small, we’re talking 16 square meters.
Paris, Le MaraisRecommended by Mathilde D.
Live MusicNightclubsCabaret Sauvage
The DJs are the circus masters and you’re the spectators during a night out at Cabaret Sauvage.
Paris, 19th arrondissementRecommended by Mathilde D.
BarsCauseries
This intimate wine bar and café draws in visitors from the nearby Musée National Picasso-Paris with its postcard-worthy storefront off of Rue du Parc Royal.
Paris, Le MaraisRecommended by Jess T.
BarsCave Vino Sapiens
Want to become more clued up on your understanding of wine, from the various grape varieties to the cultivation of these to the whole wine production process?
Paris, 7th arrondissementRecommended by Mathilde D.
Live MusicChez Papa Jazz Club
The USA might have introduced the Jazz Age, but it was Paris that transformed it into an art, and usually, when you think of dimly-lit, sultry jazz nights, it’s the City of Love…
Paris, 6th arrondissementRecommended by Mathilde D.
Cocktail LoungesCRAVAN
Three bars housed within one 17th-century building — plus a bookstore — in the historic Saint-Germain-des-Prés area, Cravan is an “it” spot for cocktail drinkers.
Paris, 6th arrondissementRecommended by Mathilde D.
Cocktail LoungesDanico
Dotted with high-end boutique stores and fine-dining restaurants, Danico bar suits its Palais-Royal neighborhood to the dime.
Paris, 2nd arrondissementRecommended by Mathilde D.
BarsDix Visions de la Joie
This local favorite in the 20th Arrondissement is a charming neighborhood restaurant and wine bar.
Paris, BellevilleRecommended by Jess T.
Cocktail LoungesExperimental Cocktail Club
The original location of the now international cocktail bar chain, Experimental Cocktail Club, caters to classic cocktail enthusiasts.
Paris, 2nd arrondissementRecommended by Jess T.
BarsGRAIN[S]
Innovative food and trendy; GRAIN[s] is a hip wine bar, where the cool kid crowds come to drink.
Paris, 6th arrondissementRecommended by Mathilde D.
Cocktail LoungesGrouvie
Dazzling in dramatic red light, the retro-themed Grouvie sort of feels like you’ve stepped into a scene from the Moulin Rouge, but with a very 1970s spin.
Paris, 6th arrondissementRecommended by Mathilde D.
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