One night in Paris bars operates on a different clock to most cities. The evening starts late by northern European standards — nobody is at a cocktail bar before 8 pm — but the quality of what is available after that hour, particularly in the Marais and Pigalle, is exceptional. Our editors have mapped the evening that works.
7 pm to 9 pm: Saint-Germain Aperitivo
01
Candelaria
Marais
$$$
Speakeasy
A taqueria on the Rue de Saintonge with a wooden door at the back that opens onto one of the best cocktail bars in Paris. The Mexican-influenced programme has been running since 2011 and is now a fixture of serious bar culture in the city. Arrive before 9 pm or expect to wait outside.
Order: The Paloma variation — mezcal, grapefruit, hibiscus, lime
02
Le Mary Celeste
Marais
$$$
Oyster Bar
A cocktail bar and oyster bar in one small room on the Rue Commines. The drinks programme is seasonal and genuinely considered. The oysters are from Brittany and the natural wine list is short and excellent. This is the most civilised place to begin a Paris evening.
Order: A dozen oysters and whatever the bartender recommends alongside them
03
Harry's New York Bar
Opera
$$$
Classic
The bar where the Bloody Mary was invented in 1921, still operating from the same address on the Rue Daunou. The history is real and the cocktails are still made properly. This is not a tourist trap — it is an institution, and there is a difference.
Order: The Bloody Mary — the original, made as it was intended
9 pm to 11 pm: Marais Cocktails
04
Little Red Door
Marais
$$$
Cocktail Bar
One of the best cocktail bars in Europe, operating from a small space on the Rue Charlot. The programme changes completely each year and every incarnation is genuinely original. The team takes flavour combinations seriously in a way that most bars do not. Reserve in advance.
Order: The current seasonal menu — trust the programme
05
Moonshiner
Bastille
$$
Speakeasy
Behind the refrigerator in Pizza Da Vito on the Rue Sedaine. The basement bar is loud, packed, and serves excellent cocktails at prices that make London seem absurd. One of the best bang-for-money bars in Paris. Walk-ins only. Arrive before 9:30 pm.
Order: The house Old Fashioned — they do it correctly
06
Le Syndicat
10th
$$
French Spirits
A cocktail bar that uses exclusively French spirits in a neighbourhood that was more famous for cheap drinks than cocktails until this place opened. The programme is a genuine argument for French spirits as a category worth exploring.
Order: Ask for the cocktail that best represents what French spirits can do
Paris bar guideOur complete Paris bar guide covers every arrondissement from the Marais to Pigalle.
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11 pm onwards: Late Night Pigalle
07
Glass
Pigalle
$$
Late Night
A bar on the Rue de la Vieuville that opens at 11 pm and stays open until 5 am. The music is good, the cocktails are better than late-night bars have any right to be, and the crowd is exactly the right mix of neighbourhood and visitor.
Order: A simple Negroni — they make it correctly without overthinking it
08
Prescription Cocktail Club
Saint-Germain
$$$
Speakeasy
A 1930s apothecary-themed cocktail bar that stays open until 2 am. The programme is serious and the crowd tends to be restaurant industry on their nights off — which is always a good sign.
Order: The Penicillin variation — they do an excellent French take on this classic
Paris cocktail barsThe best cocktail bars in Paris, updated by our Paris editor. From Little Red Door to Candelaria.
See the full list
Verdict: One night in Paris bars rewards patience. The evening starts late and ends later. Do not try to replicate the pace of a New York night out — Paris runs on its own clock and the best bars here reward guests who settle in rather than rush through. The Marais to Pigalle arc works every time.
How to tip in bars around the worldTipping in Paris is different to New York. Our global tipping guide covers 12 countries.
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