The Saint Paul corner brasserie that turned a metro exit into a terrace destination.
La Favorite sits at 4 Rue de Rivoli, directly across from the Saint Paul metro exit on Line 1, and announces itself before you reach the door. The facade disappears under banks of artificial blooms, the awnings glow pink, and the terrace chairs point at the busiest pedestrian corner in the lower Marais. Behind the flowers runs a proper all day brasserie bar: open every day from morning until 2am, with a cocktail and Spritz list that takes over once the coffee crowd clears.
The right visitor wants a long terrace session at the center of the Marais, an aperitif hour that slides into dinner, or a weekend brunch with a Spritz beside it. The wrong visitor wants quiet or a bargain; this corner trades on location and looks, and Tripadvisor reviewers repeatedly note that you pay Rivoli prices for the privilege.
The basics.
A floral stage set outside, a warm retro diner inside.
The terrace is the main event, wrapped around the corner under the flower covered awning with a clear view down Rivoli. Inside, the room runs warm and plush: pink florals, brass details, banquettes, and a long zinc style counter that handles the evening crowd. Privateaser describes the decor as retro American diner crossed with Parisian brasserie, and the description holds; it photographs loudly and feels softer in person.
Spritzes first, then the happy hour list.
Order from the Spritz menu; the house runs a dedicated Spritz selection and it is the drink the room was built around. The happy hour, Monday to Friday from 18:00 to 20:00, prices pints around 7 euros and cocktails around 8 euros according to Schlouk Map, which makes it one of the more reasonable aperitif windows on this stretch of Rivoli. Outside that window expect standard Marais corner pricing, with soft drinks already at 7 euros.
Skip the wine list if you came for depth; neighboring La Buvette exists for that. The kitchen runs generous brasserie plates all day and a weekend brunch that Yelp reviewers rate as the strongest reason to come before dark.
Marais shoppers by day, aperitif crowds and dates by night.
Daytime belongs to shoppers and tourists working the Rivoli stretch, plus laptop free locals on coffee. The shift happens at 18:00 when the happy hour starts and the after work crowd claims the terrace; by 21:00 the room leans young, social, and dressed for photos. Weekend brunch brings groups and a long queue for terrace tables, a pattern Tripadvisor and Yelp reviews flag consistently.
The recurring notes.
- The flower facade is the most photographed storefront on this stretch of Rivoli; come at opening if you want the terrace shot without the crowd. — Google Maps reviews, recurring
- Happy hour from 18:00 to 20:00 on weekdays is the value window; pints around 7 euros, cocktails around 8. — Schlouk Map listing, checked 2026
- Service runs from breakfast through 2am without a break, which makes it a reliable anchor when other Marais kitchens close mid afternoon. — La Favorite official site and Yelp reviews
- Expect Rivoli pricing outside happy hour; reviewers call the location and the terrace the product. — Tripadvisor La Favorite reviews, recurring
Match the night to the room.
- Right for:An aperitif hour on a true Marais corner terrace, timed to the weekday happy hour.
- Right for:Weekend brunch with a Spritz, or a late plate when everything else nearby has closed the kitchen.
- Avoid if:You want a quiet room or destination level cocktails; this is a scene bar, not a mixology bar.
Timing the corner.
Take Line 1 to Saint Paul and you surface within sight of the awning; no other bar in the lower Marais sits closer to a metro exit. For a weekday aperitif, arrive by 17:45 to claim a terrace table before the happy hour wave lands at 18:00. The booking link on the official site covers inside tables only, so groups of six or more should reserve rather than gamble on the terrace.
Pair the stop with a walk through the Village Saint Paul antique courtyards two minutes south, or push north into the upper Marais where the serious Paris cocktail rooms cluster. Sunday afternoons run calmer than Saturdays; the brunch queue clears by 15:00.
Budget note: the weekday happy hour saves roughly a third on the standard list per Schlouk Map's posted prices. Outside it, treat the check as the cost of the most photogenic corner on Rivoli.
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