The Best Bars in Pigalle, Paris

A proper Parisian neighbourhood bar on the lower stretch of Rue des Martyrs — the street that functions as the main artery between South Pigalle and Montmartre. La Fourmi has been here long enough to have earned its position: the terrace fills up by 6pm with people who live and work nearby, and the drinks are priced for regulars rather than visitors. Beer and wine are the point. The space is functional rather than designed, which in the context of 2020s Paris bar culture constitutes a distinguishing characteristic.

Order: Draft beer or house wine — this is not a cocktail bar and does not pretend to be one

Technically a bistrot rather than a bar, but the wine list is the reason to be here and the bar seats are always the best ones in the house. Le Bon Georges operates on the conviction that natural wine and good French food require each other, and the execution is exceptionally strong. The list leans toward the Loire and Burgundy with a selection that changes regularly and improves with each iteration. Book for dinner; or arrive without a reservation at 7pm and take the bar seats, which are first-come.

Order: Ask what Burgundy is open by the glass — they typically have three or four options and the staff can guide you well

A tiki bar that takes the tiki format seriously — which in practice means not as a joke. The cocktail programme at Dirty Dick is built on rum, tropical fruit, and a knowledge of the American tiki tradition that is genuine rather than approximate. The room is small, dark, and decorated in a way that commits to the theme without becoming ridiculous. One of Paris's best cocktail bars measured solely by the quality of what is in the glass. Almost impossible to find on the first visit; easy to find on all subsequent ones.

Order: The house Zombie — the most technically demanding tiki drink, made here with the correct understanding of what it is supposed to be

A concert venue and bar that has been presenting live music at the bottom of Montmartre since 1887. La Cigale has 1,500 capacity and programmes across jazz, chanson, rock, and electronic music — the programming reflects an understanding that a room this significant needs to remain relevant to multiple audiences. The bar operates before, during (in the bar area), and after shows. On non-concert nights, the venue opens as a bar only, which is the best way to see the room without paying concert prices.

Order: Simple beer or wine — let the room do the work; the drinks are secondary to the experience of being in this space

The dive bar that the South Pigalle crowd uses when they have run out of patience for places that are trying. Au P'tit Douai is an unremarkable room with cheap drinks, a jukebox that leans toward chanson and classic rock, and a crowd of regulars who have been drinking here since before the neighbourhood became interesting to anyone outside it. Open later than most of its neighbours. The kind of bar that only survives in cities with enough density of people who genuinely need it.

Order: Beer or pastis — whatever is cheapest on the board is also what you should drink

A lesbian cabaret bar on the cusp of Place Pigalle that has been operating in the same space since the 1930s. Chez Moune programmes live performances several nights a week alongside DJ nights that run until 5am on weekends. The history of the room — it was one of Paris's first lesbian venues — is visible in the decor and evident in the crowd. An essential Pigalle institution for anyone who understands what Pigalle actually is, as opposed to what its reputation suggests.

Order: Champagne if you are celebrating something; beer if you are not — the bar matches either

A modern bistrot on Rue Victor Masse with a bar area that functions independently from the restaurant. Le Pantruche's wine list is one of the strongest in the neighbourhood — the team buys well and prices fairly, which in Paris requires mentioning explicitly because it is not universal. The bar seats are comfortable enough to spend two or three hours at without feeling like you are in someone's way. The crowd after 6pm on a Wednesday is exactly what you want to be near in a Paris bar.

Order: Glass of whatever Burgundy is open — the team rotates stock regularly and the current selection is always worth asking about

The bar of the Pigalle Paris hotel — a boutique hotel that occupies a former brothel building and has made the history of its address part of the aesthetic programme rather than something to minimise. The cocktail menu is well-constructed and uses ingredients that reference the neighbourhood's past and present. The room is designed with enough care that it functions as a destination rather than a hotel amenity. Quieter than the neighbourhood bars outside; more expensive, and worth it when you want the contrast.

Order: The house Negroni variation — the bar director has a light hand with amaro and it shows

The Paris outpost of a New York original that has managed to feel more Parisian than many bars that were born here. Buvette operates from morning through night, which makes it one of the few places in Pigalle where the aperitivo hour runs continuously rather than having a defined start point. The wine list is intelligent and the food is the kind of thing you eat while drinking rather than drinking while eating. A bar that works at 10am for coffee and at 10pm for natural wine without contradicting itself.

Order: A glass of Beaujolais and whatever small plates they are serving — the combination is reliable at any hour

A small cocktail bar on a quiet side street off Rue Notre-Dame-de-Lorette that has become one of the best-kept open secrets in South Pigalle. Glass serves a short, rotating cocktail menu that changes seasonally and never repeats itself year to year. The bar is small enough that you will be within conversation distance of whoever is next to you, which is either a feature or a defect depending on who you are. Open late, unpretentious, and consistently excellent at what it does.

Order: Ask the bartender for a suggestion — the rotating menu is the point and they are always enthusiastic about explaining it