Still relatively under the radar, Le Lock Groove is a great alternative to the now obsolete Café Tournesol – which by the way has become almost unbearable. You shouldn’t shy away from Montparnasse, its bars are almost as good as those on rue Oberkampf. This place is full of character, you can drink decent, cheap beer (€5 at happy hour) and, as the name suggests, you can listen to proper vinyl in a resolutely rock’n’roll atmosphere.
Designed by three rock fans: Alexis Cavala, his sister Milena and Emmanuel Urrutia, the Lock Groove has an authentic sixties decoration. Pints can be sipped (Grolsch is €4 in the 6-9pm happy hour) between an old rotary dial telephone, a gigantic vintage Orangina sign and flowery wallpaper. The flea market atmosphere injects plenty of charm to this neighbourhood bar, which gets busy at weekends. As for the menu, it’s American-inflected: nachos, hot dogs, burgers (€8-12 with fries) and cobb salad. Avoid the crudités and the gloopy sauce, instead go for the crispy chicken.
And if you only came to get drunk, know that it’s a mere €20 for ten shots. One last piece of advice before you let your hair down on rue Roger: find a spot in the back room, it’s far more comfortable than hovering at the entrance.