These are the best cocktail bars in Paris right now

If you like your music and you like your drinks (that’ll be most of you, then), try Fréquence. The dozens of soul and reggae sleeves behind the counter give a good indication as to what you’ll hear here. The cocktails are diverse – and ridiculously delicious.

Address: 20 Rue Keller, 75011, Paris

Hours: Tuesday-Thursday from 6pm-2am; Friday-Saturday from 6pm-4am; closed Sunday and Monday 

You’d struggle to find a cosier drinking den than this pub-like affair in the Marais. From the vintage furnishings to the piano in the corner and the staff in blue overalls, it’s all low-key and down-to-earth at CPH. And in Paris’s flashy bar-scape, that makes a refreshing change. It's a place that combines comfort, conversation and eco-friendly spirit, as the bar only works with sustainable brands.

Address: 8 Rue de Poitou, 75003, Paris

Hours: Open daily from 3pm-1am

At Danico, they know how to make you feel at home. With green velvet armchairs, black-and-white marble counters and unironically catchy ’80s soundtrack, this Brooklyn-style bar (yes, another one) is pretty much destined for your Instagram feed just as much as you were destined to order a Leche de Tigre, aka Tiger Milk. It's a blend of Citadelle Gin, ceviche distillate, coconut oil, lime, aji amajillo and coriander that makes for refreshing bevy when you're belting out tunes. The staff are very welcoming. And the rest of the drinks? Totally fab.

Address: 6 Rue Vivienne, 75002, Paris

Hours: Open daily from 5pm-2am 

To get to this buzzing spot, you’ll first have to pass through the tiny taqueria that operates out of the same address. When you're taco'd out, Candelaria's dimly-lit backroom is where the Marais’s moneyed thirty-somethings come for tequila, mezcal and marvelous margaritas. As a matter of fact, all of the cocktails are top-notch. Don’t miss out.

Address: 52 Rue de Saintonge, 75003, Paris

Hours: Monday-Friday from 4pm-1am; Saturday-Sunday from noon-1am 

This cosy Belleville hangout is talked about for a reason. The setting is laid-back. The staff? Friendly. And the cocktails? They’re superb. Elena Schmitt and Margot Lecarpentier (ex-Experimental Cocktail Club) know their way round a well-balanced mix, and their new opening - not far from the Parc de Belleville - delivers. The food’s good, too. Rry the terrine with gherkins and rustic Thierry Breton bread.

Address: 63 Rue de Belleville, 75019, Paris

Hours: Monday-Saturday from 6pm-2pm; Sunday from 6pm-midnight

At this elegant bar in Pigalle (formerly the home of Paris's red light district), owners Jen Riley and Joseph Boyley serve up seriously fresh cocktails in its over-the-top, panther-like room. At Sister Midnight, you'll find drag shows, live music and will likely have a night you'll never forget - if you can remember it. La Mano Negra was wrong, Paris by night isn't over at Galle-Pi.

Address: 4 Rue Viollet-le-Duc, 75009 Paris, France

Hours: Tuesday-Thursday from 6pm-1am; Friday-Saturday from 6pm-2am; closed Sunday-Monday. 

This bar opened in summer 2023, and immediately became one of the most talked abot spots in the city of lights. The offering from Rémy Savage and his team at Bar Nouveau is already incredibly accomplished, with a beautifully curated cocktail menu of simple, strong and elegant flavours like the cacao-infused Get Perrier or the gin-Campari-agrumes trio within the Jasmin. Upstairs gives neo-Art Nouveau in its décor, while downstairs is gets a bit grundgy and industrial. Both are great, and so are the staff. 

Address: 5 Rue des Haudriettes, 75003, Paris

Hours: Open daily from 3pm-1am 

A pretty, apothecary-style bar with a cute tree-lined terrace away from Pigalle, Classique cocktail bar features retro interiors, period tiles, chiselled glass fittings and luminous green crosses inherited from an old pharmacy. Mysterious amber jars sit in dark wooden cupboards, and behind Classique's long marble counter, Hugo Combe prepares his magical blends. For an aperitif, the drinks are paired with sumptuous small plates, and on Sundays you can grab brunch for cheap. 

Address: 1bis Rue Lallier, 75009, Paris

Hours: Monday-Thursday from 6pm-1am; Friday from 6pm-2am, Saturday-Sunday from 9.30am-2am

Behind the scenes of a functional laundromat in l'Entrepôt (10th arrondisement), Lavomatic rinses you of your troubles with its bright, boozy cocktails and splashes of colour in every corner. And while the indoor swings, lively music, low ceiling and intimate space creates a hell of a fun atmosphere, the best part might just be finding your way in. Yes, this is a speakeasy, friends. Locate the right washing machine door, and you'll be taken to neon-lit paradise and very strong margaritas. 

Address: 30 Rue René Boulanger, 75010, Paris

Hours: Tuesday-Thursday from 7pm-1am; Friday-Saturday from 6pm-2am; closed Sunday and Monday 

Ironically, the red door at Little Red Door doesn’t actually open – you go in via the blue one on the left. That dinky, little rectangle has become pretty much emblematic of Parisian cocktail excellence since this cocktail bar first appeared on the World’s 50 Best Bars list a few years back. Inside, you’ll find a dim-lit speakeasy with matchless charm – think tin ceilings, insanely comfy chesterfields and midnight-blue velvet armchairs.

Address: 60 Rue Charlot, 75003, Paris

Hours: Open daily from 5pm-2am

Nautical-themed drinking hole Le CopperBay is a sophisticated and elegant cocktail bar hidden away down the quiet Rue Bouchardon. Against a décor of wood panelling and ropes, experienced cocktail crafters Elfi, Julien and Aurélie serve you up a sailor-friendly rum on the rocks, or something a little more adventurous from their ambitious mixology menu. It’s classy, yet not extortionate by Paris standards, and the menu is travel-themed and filled with international drink names like Falouka, De La Bretagne and Coco Lima. 

Address: 5 Rue Bouchardon, 75010, Paris

Hours: Sunday-Thursdy from 6pm-1am, Friday-Saturday from 6pm-2am

The 16th isn’t exactly the buzziest part of town when it comes to a night out drinking, but Cravan alone is reason to pop down and explore. The 1911 Art Nouveau building designed by Hector Guimard that houses this bar - one of the bests in the city - is classed as a national ’historic monument’, and makes for a dramatic backdrop while you sip on speciality, inter-war cocktails. The soundtrack’ is jazzy, and the small plates menu is excellent. Try the crab tarama. 

Address: 17 Rue Jean de la Fontaine, 75016, Paris

Hours: Wednesday-Saturday from 6pm-11pm; closed Sunday-Tuesday

The Left Bank may not be known for its nightlife, but that’s because some of its best haunts are concealed behind  featureless, overlooked façades. A shining example? The entrance of the très modish Castor Club. This dimly lit, wood-panelled bar plays a mix of Nashville pop from the ’50s and ’60s, and the cocktail choices are eclectic. Order the Turkish Delight, mixed with Pisco, liqueur de gomme, Chartreuse jaune, crème de pistache, citron and
cardamom. 

Address: 14 Rue Hautefeuille, 75006, Paris

Hours: Tuesday-Wednesday from 7pm-2am, Thursday-Saturday from 7pm-4am, closed Sunday-Monday

For almost 20 years, the Mazouz brothers have been serving as a case study in ‘bars for dummies,’ which should be distributed to all entrepreneurs interested in mixology. Order an exceptional Old Fashioned (or their Mexican version with mezcal from Oaxaca), and stay till late for an after-dark DJ set. You'll pay a Parisian price for Andy Wahloo as drinks are around a on the pricey side, but it's worth it for a great drink and greater groove. 

Address: 69 Rue des Gravilliers, 75003, Paris

Hours: Tuesday-Wednesday from 7pm-1am; Thursday-Saturday from 7pm-2am; closed Sunday-Monday

There's a seriously cool atmosphere at Bluebird, and it's complimented by a warm colour scheme, copper ceiling and a smoking room surrounded by an aquarium; it feels a bit like a cross between a cosy hotel bar and the back room of a chic Chinese restaurant. Milanese barman Flavio Angiolho rustles up an unforgettable negroni with bitter, red vermouth and thyme liqueur directly imported from Italy. And because one should never drink on an empty stomach, we recommend ordering the very generous club sandwich.

Address: 12 Rue Saint-Bernard, 75011, Paris

Hours: Sunday-Thursday from 6pm-2am, Friday-Saturday from 6pm-3am 

With its low-lighting and gloomy front windows, Monsieur Antoine, on a sidestreet off Avenue Parmentier, is hardly eye-catching. But once inside, you're immediately welcomed by its  rock soundtrack, and the sound of the cocktail shaker at work. There's a weekly changing list of ten drinks, with syrups made in-house and fruit juice that's freshly squeezed each morning. We would recommend trying them all, but you might not make it home.

Address: 17 Ave Parmentier, 75011, Paris

Hours: Tuesday-Saturday from 6pm-2am; closed Sunday-Monday