Paris
Paris's most photographed drinks aren't on any menu — they're in the rooms with the right windows. The bars with a view on this list span every neighbourhood worth a trip — the central districts all show up — and every price tier from a $5 local pour to a $25 hotel-bar tasting. Each bar earns its spot for a different reason. We have visited every one.
16E · $$$$ · ROOFTOP BARS
Girafe draws a steady local crowd in 16e. Booking is recommended on weekends. Walk-ins are usually possible early in the evening. Order: the bar's house signature. Best time: Tuesday and Wednesday before 9pm, when the regulars haven't filled the room yet. Best for sunset drinks or a slow first date. Saturday after 10pm gets crowded — book ahead or arrive early.
16E · $$$$ · ROOFTOP BARS
Monsieur Bleu draws a steady local crowd in 16e. Booking is recommended on weekends. Walk-ins are usually possible early in the evening. Order: the bar's house signature. Best time: any weeknight between 7pm and 9pm, when the bar settles into its rhythm and the bartender has time to talk. Best for sunset drinks or a slow first date. Friday from 8pm fills up; reserve a counter seat or a high table.
11E · $$$ · ROOFTOP BARS
Le Perchoir Menilmontant draws a steady local crowd in 11e. Booking is recommended on weekends. Walk-ins are usually possible early in the evening. Order: the bar's house signature. Best time: Sunday from 6pm, when it's the room's quietest premium night and the kitchen is unhurried. Best for sunset drinks or a slow first date. Avoid post-match nights if the local team is playing — the upstairs gets loud.
THE CENTRE · $$ · COCKTAIL BARS
Bonhomie is the casual neighbourhood natural wine bar that the 10th needed. The room is small and unfussy — bare wood, exposed brick, a long bar — and the wine . Order: the bar's house signature. Best time: Thursday late or Friday early, when you'll catch the room building toward its weekend tempo. Best for cocktail-curious drinkers who want technique without theatre. First-Friday traffic in the district can mean a 20-minute wait at the door.
11E · $$ · COCKTAIL BARS
BapBap Brewery draws a steady local crowd in 11e. Booking is recommended on weekends. Walk-ins are usually possible early in the evening. Order: the bar's house signature. Best time: Tuesday and Wednesday before 9pm, when the regulars haven't filled the room yet. Best for cocktail-curious drinkers who want technique without theatre. Saturday after 10pm gets crowded — book ahead or arrive early.
THE CENTRE · $$ · COCKTAIL BARS
Calvados, fresh lemon, egg white, and a touch of honey. The house signature that reveals the bar's respect for French spirits and classic technique. Order: the bar's house signature. Best time: any weeknight between 7pm and 9pm, when the bar settles into its rhythm and the bartender has time to talk. Best for cocktail-curious drinkers who want technique without theatre. Friday from 8pm fills up; reserve a counter seat or a high table.
THE CENTRE · $$ · COCKTAIL BARS
Candelaria opened in 2011 in a small Marais storefront. The front operates as a working taqueria — fresh tortillas, four taco options, mezcal flights. Walk thro. Order: the bar's house signature. Best time: Sunday from 6pm, when it's the room's quietest premium night and the kitchen is unhurried. Best for cocktail-curious drinkers who want technique without theatre. Avoid post-match nights if the local team is playing — the upstairs gets loud.
5E · $$$ · COCKTAIL BARS
Caveau de la Huchette draws a steady local crowd in 5e. Booking is recommended on weekends. Walk-ins are usually possible early in the evening. Order: the bar's house signature. Best time: Thursday late or Friday early, when you'll catch the room building toward its weekend tempo. Best for cocktail-curious drinkers who want technique without theatre. First-Friday traffic in the district can mean a 20-minute wait at the door.
THE CENTRE · $$$ · COCKTAIL BARS
Cherry Pulp opened in Pigalle in 2018 and has built a steady following among Paris cocktail enthusiasts. The room is small — 25 seats — and the bar is committed. Order: the bar's house signature. Best time: Tuesday and Wednesday before 9pm, when the regulars haven't filled the room yet. Best for cocktail-curious drinkers who want technique without theatre. Saturday after 10pm gets crowded — book ahead or arrive early.
THE CENTRE · $$ · COCKTAIL BARS
Combat opened on rue de Belleville in 2017 and quickly built a reputation as one of the most thoughtful neighbourhood cocktail bars in Paris. The bar is women-l. Order: the bar's house signature. Best time: any weeknight between 7pm and 9pm, when the bar settles into its rhythm and the bartender has time to talk. Best for cocktail-curious drinkers who want technique without theatre. Friday from 8pm fills up; reserve a counter seat or a high table.
Use this guide either as a single curated route through Paris or as a checklist to revisit over a long weekend. Reservations are flagged where they matter. Otherwise, walk in. Below: the ten bars with a view that any serious drinker in Paris would tell you to put on the list.
Girafe draws a steady local crowd in 16e. Booking is recommended on weekends. Walk-ins are usually possible early in the evening. Order: the bar's house signature. Best time: Tuesday and Wednesday before 9pm, when the regulars haven't filled the room yet. Best for sunset drinks or a slow first date. Saturday after 10pm gets crowded — book ahead or arrive early.
Monsieur Bleu draws a steady local crowd in 16e. Booking is recommended on weekends. Walk-ins are usually possible early in the evening. Order: the bar's house signature. Best time: any weeknight between 7pm and 9pm, when the bar settles into its rhythm and the bartender has time to talk. Best for sunset drinks or a slow first date. Friday from 8pm fills up; reserve a counter seat or a high table.
Looking beyond Paris? See our guide to the best bars with a view worldwide, or compare bars with a view city by city.