Paris Bars & Nightlife

If you find yourself in the 16th, make a beeline for a delightful, resolutely French little wine bar with a few round tables and rattan chairs out the front called Cravan.

Martin’s is a casual joint, covered in glass like a conservatory, making it warm and steamy in the winter, fresh and airy in the summer.

From the team behind Paris favorites La Candelaria and Le Mary Celeste, this grand, imposing new spot in the Palais de Tokyo sets the benchmark for restaurants within cultural landmarks. The heavy use of stone and wood could look austere, but the hundreds of hanging lightbulbs and gold accents warm the cavernous space right up

As in the Hoxton outposts in Amsterdam, Brooklyn, and London, the lobby here is massive. And in this case, it's also built into a courtyard. Velvet sofas, natural light, and gorgeous decorative features (like a 300-year-old spiral staircase) make for an absurdly pleasant place to spend a few hours. For a change of scene, move on to the Hoxton’s Jacques Bar and its floor-to-ceiling windows that look directly onto the rooftops of Paris. The Moroccan-influenced cocktail list includes the Postcard from Marrakech, made of orange blossom and gin—it tastes like summer in a glass.

Rivié, one of the two bars in the Hoxton, has a wonderful brasserie, a lovely outdoor garden, and scattered here and there, relaxing little nooks with armchairs and nice lighting. But never mind-skip all that. Head straight for the bar. The bar bar. Settle into the velvet barstool, order a glass of Billecart-Salmon (a rosé champagne) or, depending on your day, a dirty martini. The staff is friendly, the vibe is chill, and as evening slips into night, remember only two very important words: truffle fries.

This moody, leather-accented bar is famous for being an old haunt of so many Paris creatives—in addition to Hemingway himself, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Cole Porter, and Gary Cooper were all regulars. Legend has it that Marcel Proust ordered a cold beer from here on his deathbed. Today, the watering hole maintains its reputation with a world-class bar program by Colin Peter Field, who's a celebrity in his own right at this point. You're in great hands with Fields no matter your order, but do keep in mind that all the drinks err on the stiff side (just as Hemingway would have wanted it).

Located in the up-and-coming Pigalle neighborhood, Paris’s old red-light district, this hotel offers an all-day café/bar that’s comfily kitted out in overstuffed couches and elegantly mismatched vintage finds, not to mention a dance pole—a clever reference to its roots. With a tapas-style menu and generous cocktails, it’s easy to while the evening away here until the jukebox turns on or the local DJ starts spinning.

The name and the pinup poster in the entryway hint at this Pigalle bar’s seedier past as a brothel, but take a closer look and you’ll find yourself in a full-fledged tiki bar, overflowing with pseudo-Polynesian flair. If the excellent rum-based drinks and retro vibe aren’t really your thing, then the other, perfectly balanced proprietary cocktails and extensive beer collection should keep you happy.

The young team behind this growing concept came up with the genius idea of opening bars in disused spaces all over Paris—on rooftops, at the old Pavillon at the Parc des Buttes Chaumont, and on a houseboat parked on the Seine. The newest locale, right on top of the Gare de l’Est might just be their greatest conquest to date: In addition to an incredible view and the trademark cocktails, you'll find snacks by souped-up kebab joint Grillé.

In true speakeasy fashion, this very-adored spot is behind an unmarked door, on a dimly lit, pedestrian-only alley. But beyond the appeal of being impossible-to-find, Parisians really come because they love the artful cocktails. It gets crowded after 11 and is generally packed on weekends; there are now outposts in New York City and London as well.