My 7 favorite Paris cocktail bars
Obviously, France is famous for wine and champagne, but in my opinion Paris’ cocktail bars are just as diverse and interesting. I am not a big drinker, but I love trying unusual and creative cocktails (or mocktails), especially in pretty surroundings and with a healthy supply of snacks on standby. Paris has lots of cocktail bars that fit that description, so it took some time to narrow down my list to only seven recommendations!
My husband took me to this cocktail bar located inside the Italian restaurant Daroco on our first date, and it remains my absolute favorite cocktail bar in Paris to this day! Danico has the most inventive - and tastiest - cocktails I have ever tried, utilizing lots of unusual ingredients such as eggplant, sesame and miso. The setting is very calm and stylish, and it’s overlooking the Galerie Vivienne, which I think is the most beautiful covered passageway in Paris. You don’t need a reservation for the restaurant in order to have a drink at the bar and if you go early there is almost always a table.
Sister Midnight is a close runner-up to Danico for the sheer creativity and tastiness of their cocktails. Located in Pigalle, Sister Midnight has a diverse array of delicious cocktails and mocktails that often incorporate tea and spices (this is the only place I have ever had a tea-flavored cocktail where I could actually taste the tea!) It’s a small place with very moody and theatrical decor, and they also regularly hold free drag shows, which I’m sure are a lot of fun!
It was actually my sister that discovered this bar before her first trip to Paris and it instantly became one of my favorites! At Bisou (which means “kiss”), they make your cocktail to order, so you can ask for exactly what you want (sweet, bitter, chocolatey, smokey) and they will make your vision a reality! One time I went with a friend who requested a cocktail that tasted “like a warm spring day”, and they somehow managed to make it happen! The design of the bar is super feminine and the presentation of the cocktails is very pretty as well.
Tiger is actually a gin-based cocktail bar, so if you like gin this is a great option. I am not really an alcohol expert, but I’ve never been disappointed with their cocktails (I remember one time they had an apple pie cocktail that was delicious!) They also serve very tasty snacks, and the overall setting is really colorful and fun.
I took my husband to this bar for his birthday, which is in February, so for some reason I think of Fréquence as a “winter” cocktail bar. It has a cozy vibe and the thing that sets it apart is that they only play vintage vinyl records. The cocktails have very strong, Asian-inspired flavors and the food is very good as well.
I had to include this new cocktail bar in my neighborhood, the 13th arrondissement, which is known for Asian cuisine but not necessarily cocktail bars! Red Poppy reflects the flavors of the neighborhood and I like how the menu is organized according to how strong the drinks are, starting with their mocktails and moving to their stronger drinks. The food is great (also Asian-inspired) and I really like the overall vibe of the place.
Last but not least is Le Syndicat, which is a seriously cool bar in the very hipster 10th arrondissement. It has a more edgy, industrial vibe and the drinks are sophisticated (and strong!) My husband really likes this bar, maybe even more than Danico. You can reserve online but you need to put down a credit card (like so many places in Paris these days!)
You can find my Google Maps with all my favorite cocktail bars in Paris here.
