NIGHTLIFE IN PARIS
CAFES AND BARS
LES HALLES AND MARAIS (1ER, 2EME, 3EME, 4EME)
Ei Banana Cafe, 13-15 r. de la Ferronnerie, ler. M: Chatelet. This trfes branche (way cool) evening arena is the most popular gay bar in the ler, and draws an extremely mixed group. Legendary theme nights. Happy Hour 6-9pm. Beer M-F ‚5.18, Sa-Su ‚6.71. Open daily 4pm-dawn. AmExMCV.
Le Champmesie, 4 r. Chabanais, ler. M: Pyramides or Quatre Septembre. This welcoming lesbian bar is Paris’s oldest and most famous. Mixed crowd in the front, but women-only in back. Beer ‚4. Mized drinks ‚8. Popular cabaret show Th 10pm (first drink is ‚8). Monthly art exhibits. Open M-Th 2pm-2am, F-Sa 2pm-2am. MCV.
L’Apparemment Cafe, 18 r. des Coutures St-Gervais, 3feme. M: St-Paul. Beautiful wood and red lounge with games and a calm, young crowd. Late-night meals ‚10-13.
Chez Richard, 37 r. Vieille-du-Temple, 4feme. M: Hotel-de-Ville. A hot spot to people-watch on weekends, but during the week it’s ideal for chilling, with hip bartenders and smooth beats. Happy Hour 6-8pm for cocktails. Beer ‚4-6. Mixed drinks ‚9. Open daily 6pm-2am. AmExMCV.
Lizard Lounge, 18 r. du Bourg-Tibourg, 4feme. M: Hotel-de-Ville. A happening, split-level space for students and twenty-somethings. Happy Hour upstairs 6-8pm, throughout the bar 8-10pm. Beer ‚6.20. “Lizard Juice ‚7.50. Open daily noon-2am. Serves food noon-3pm and 7-10:30pm, Sa-Su brunch noon-4pm. MCV.
The Fiann O’Brien, 6 r. Bailleul, ler. M: Louvre-Rivoli. Arguably the best Irish bar in Paris, Flann is often packed, especially on live music nights (F-Su). Go for the Guinness and stay for the reportedly good crack” downstairs (that’s Irish for good fun). Demi ‚4, full pint ‚6. Open daily 6pm-5am.
Villa Keops, 58 bd. Sebastopol, 3feme. M: Etienne-Marcel. Stylish, candlelit couch bar where the waiters are as beautiful as the designer drinks. Divine Rose du Nile ‚8.50. Happy Hour 8-10pm. Open M-Th noon-2am, F-Sa noon-4am, Su 4pm-3am. AmExMCV.
La Belle Hortense, 31 r. Vieille-du-Temple. M: St-Paul. A breath of fresh intellectual air for those worn out by the hyper-chic scene along the rest of the rue. Varied wine selection from ‚3 a glass. Frequent exhibits, readings, lectures, signatures, and discussions in the small leather-couch-filled back room. Open daily 5pm-2am. MCV.
Boobs Bourg, 26 r. de Montmorency. M: Rambuteau. This is where the well-spiked, stylishly punk girls go to find each other. Always lively at night, occasional daytime lectures and discussions. Men welcome accompanied by women. Beer on tap ‚3.80. Mixed drinks ‚7. Open Tu-Su 5:30pm-2am. MCV.
Amnesia Cafe, 42 r. Vieille-du-Temple, 3feme. M: Hotel-de-Ville. A largely gay crowd comes to lounge on plush sofas in Amnesia’s classy wood-paneled interior. Espresso ‚2. Kir‚4. Open daily 10:30am-2am. MCV.
Le Duplex, 25 r. Michel Le Comte, 3feme. M: Rambuteau. A great place to make friends instead of trouble. Small and intimate atmosphere. Notan exclusively male bar, but few women hang out here. Beer ‚2.60 until 10pm, ‚3.50 after. Cocktails ‚7.30. Open Su-Th 8pm-2am, F-Sa 8pm-4am.
Open Cafe, 17 r. des Archives. M: Hotel-de-Ville. The most popular Marais gay bar. Beer ‚3. Mixed drinks ‚7. Happy Hour 6-9pm. Open daily llam-2am, AmExMCV.
LATIN QUARTER AND ST-GERMAIN (5EME, 6EME, 7EME)
Le Caveau des Oubliettes, 52 r. Galande, 5feme. M: St-Michel. Three scenes in one, all with a mellow, funky atmosphere. Free soiree boeuf (jam session) Su-Th 10:30pm-1:30am; F-Sa concerts ‚7.50. Beer ‚3.70-4.10. Rum cocktail ‚3.80. Happy Hour daily 5-9pm. Open daily 5pm-2am.
li Le Bar Dix, 10 r. de I’Odeon, 6feme. M: Odeon. A classic student hangout where you might overhear existentialist discussions in the downstairs cellar. After a few glasses of sangria (‚3), you might join in. Open daily 5:30pm-2am.
S Bob Cool, 15 r. des Grands Augustins, 6feme. M: Odeon. Laid-back clientele, friendly vibe, and a reputation among those in the know for being one of the best bars in Paris. Mexican mezcal ‚8.50. Open daily 5pm-2am.
Le Crocodile, 6 r. Royer-Collard, 6feme. M: Cluny-La Sorbonne. A lively crowd of 20-somethings packs into this unassuming bar on a quiet side street. 238 tasty cocktails (‚8, before midnight M-Th ‚6) from which to choose. Open M-Sa 10:30pm-4am.
Le Club des Poetes, 30 r. de Bourgogne, 7feme. M: Varenne. A restaurant by day, Le Club is transformed at 10pm each night when a troupe of readers, including Rosnay’s family, bewitch the audience with poetry. Lunch menu ‚15. Drinks ‚9, for students ‚5-7. Open M-Sa noon-2:30pm and 8pm-lam; food served until 10pm. AmExMCV.
Cafe Mabillon, 164 bd. St-Germain, 6feme. M: Mabillon. This hyper fast-track cafe-bar with lavender lights and snappy attitude draws a hip, glamorous crowd. Drinks are pricey (‚10.20-11.50). Happy Hour daily 7-9pm. Open daily 8am-6am. MCV.
Le Reflet, 6 r. Champollion, 5feme. M: Cluny-La Sorbonne. Small, low-key, and crowded with students and younger working folk. Beer ‚1.90-2.70 at the bar, kir ‚2, cocktails ‚5. Also serves food; salads ‚7-9. Open M-Sa 10am-2am, Su noon-2am. MCV.
Malone’s, 64 av. Bosquet, 7feme. M: Ecole Militaire. Chic mahogany decor and warm candlelight create an easy-going atmosphere. Beer ‚5. Mixed drinks ‚8. Tasty snacks like croques served until closing. Open M-Sa 5pm-2am, Su 5pm-lam. MCV.
CHAMPS-ELYSEES (8EME)
SI House of Live, 124 r. La Boetie, 8feme. M: Franklin D. Roosevelt. This friendly and happening American bar has first-class live music most nights. Snack bar has good of Yankee fare. Beer ‚6. Mixed drinks ‚6.80. Coffee ‚2-4. Open daily 9am-5am. AmExMCV.
buddha-bar, 8 r. Boissy d’Anglas, 8feme. M: Madeleine or Concorde. Gorgeous bar and restaurant frequented by the glitterati. Mixed drinks and martinis ‚12. Weekday lunch menu ‚32. Open M-F noon-3pm and daily 6pm-2am.
BASTILLE (11EME)
18 Boteco, 131 r. Oberkampf, llfeme. M: Parmentier. A popular Brazilian bar-restaurant with trendy waitstaff, jungle decor, and avant-garde art. Open daily 9am-2am.
Le Bar Sans Nom, 49 r. de Lappe, llfeme. M: Bastille. Seductive lounge famous for its inventive cocktails (‚8.50). Beer ‚5-6.20. Shots ‚6.20. Open M-Sa 7pm-2am. MCV.
Cafe Charbon, 109 r. Oberkampf. M: Parmentier or Menilmontant. Proudly bears traces of its fin-de-siecle dance hall days. A specialty is sweet beer with cassis (‚2.30). Saiades ‚6-8.50. Beer ‚2.80. Happy Hour daily 5-7pm. Open 9am-2am. MCV.
Sanz Sans, 49 r. du Faubourg St-Antoine. M: Bastille. Popular, upbeat barclubrestaurant. A large, Baroque-framed screen projects scenes from the bar like a black-and-white movie. Outdoor seating; indoor AC. Drink prices go up after 9pm. Open Su-M 9am-lam, Tu-Sa 9am-5am. MCV.
NIGHTLIFE 1331 MONTPARNASSE (13EME, 14EME)
E3 L’Entrepot. 7-9 r. Francis de Pressense, 14feme. M: Pemety. Proving that intellectualism and good times go together: Cinema, restaurant, art gallery, and bar. Conceits F-Sa; usually around ‚5. Beer ‚2.50. Su brunch ll:30am-4:30pm (‚15). Food served noon-3pm and 7:30-11:30pm. Open M-Sa 9am-midnight (though usually stays open later), Su ll:30am-midnight.
Batofar, facing 11 quai Frangois-Mauriac, 13feme. M: Quai-de-la-Gare. This bargebar club has made it big with the electronic music crowd and has a friendly vibe. Open Tu-Th 9pm-3am, F-Sa until 4am. Cover ‚6.50-9.50 usually includes first drink. MCV.
La Folie en T6te, 33 r. de la Butte-aux-Cailles, 13feme. M: Corvisart. The artsy axis mundi of the 13feme. Crowded concerts on Sa nights, usually Afro-Caribbean music (‚8); no concerts July-Aug. Beer ‚2.50. Happy Hour6-8pm. Open M-Sa 6pm-2am. MCV.
Cafe Tournesol, 9 r. de la Gaite, 14feme. M: Edgar Quinet. At this ultramodern cafe-bar some of the 14feme’s most stylish come out to drink, read, and mingle. Beers ‚2.30-6; wines ‚2-3. Open M-Sa 8:30am-l:30am, Su 9:30am-l:30am. MCV.
Mustang Cafe, 84 bd. du Montparnasse, 14feme. M: Montparnasse-Bienveniie. ‚3.50 beers and all-American good times flow freely all night. Thumping juke box, hordes of Anglophones, and the occasional wet T-shirt contest. Happy Hour M-F 4-8pm. American brunch Sa-Su noon-5pm. Open daily 9am-5am. Food served until 2am. MCV.
MONTMARTRE AND PIGALLE (9EME, 17EME, 18EME)
Hi L’Endroit, 67 pi. du Dr. Felix Lobligeois, 17feme. M: Rome. Hip, young 17femers come for the snazzy bar and idyllic location. Beer ‚4.50-5.10. Wine ‚3.50-4. Mixed drinks ‚6. Open daily noon-2am. MCV.
Chez Camille, 8 r. Ravignan, 18feme. M: Abbesses. Small, trendy, bright yellow bar on the safe upper slopes of Montmartre. Beer ‚2.20-3.30. Wine from ‚2.80. Mixed drinks ‚6.50. Open M llam-2pm, Tu-Sa 9am-2am, Su 9am-8pm.
La Fourmi, 74 r. des Martyrs, 18feme. M: Pigalle. Artsy atmosphere with a large zinc bar and industrial decor. Hyper-hip, energetic young crowd. Beer ‚2.30-3.20. Wine ‚2.50. Mixed drinks ‚5.40-10. Open M-Th 8:30am-2am, F-Sa 8:30am-4am, Su 10am-2am.
DANCE CLUBS
LES HALLES AND MARAIS (1ER, 2EME, 3EME, 4EME)
Les Bains, 7 r. du Bourg I’Abbe, 3feme. M: Etienne-Marcel or Reaumur-Sebastopol. Look for the long line of people. Ultra-selective, super-crowded, and expensive. Madonna and Mick Jagger have stopped in. Cover (includes first drink) Su-Th ‚16, F-Sa ‚19. Drinks ‚11. Clubbing daily llpm-6am. AmExMCV.
Le Depdt, 10 r. aux Ours, 3feme. M: Etienne-Marcel. A veritable pleasure complex for gay men. Dance for inspiration then take your boy toy of the night to one of the rooms in the downstairs labyrinth. Women welcome after 11pm on the upstairs dance floor. Cover (includes first drink); M-Th ‚7.50, F ‚10, Sa ‚12, Su ‚10. Open daily 2pm-8am.
Rex Club, 5 bd. Poissonnifere, 2feme. M: Bonne-Nouvelle. A non-selective club which presents very selective DJ line-ups. One of the best sound systems in Paris. Large dancefloor and lots of seats. Shots ‚4-5. Beer ‚5-7. Cover ‚8-13. Open Th-Sa ll:30pm-6am.
CHAMPS-ELYSEES (8EME)
Latina Cafe, 114 av. des Champs-Elysees. M: George V. Draws one of the largest nightclub crowds on the Champs with an energetic world music mix. Drinks ‚9-11. Women get in free Su-Th, men pay ‚7 cover which includes a drink. ‚16 cover F-Sa includes first two drinks. Cafe open daily 7:30pm-2am, club open daily ll:30am-6:30am.
Le Queen, 102 av. des Champs-Elysees. M: George V. Drag queens, superstars, models, moguls, and go-go boys get down to the mainstream rhythms of a 10,000 giga-watt sound system. Cover Su-Th ‚12, includes one drink. F-Sa ‚18. All drinks ‚9. Open daily midnight-dawn. AmExMCV.
BASTILLE (11EME)
H Wax, 15 r. Daval, lleme. M: Bastille. Always free and fun. Set up in a concrete bunker, with retro orange, red and white couches, this barclub has DJ competitions and its own magazine. Funk and electronic music. Open daily 6pm-2am. Closed Su in summer months. Drinks ‚4-9.50. AmExMCV.
Nouveau Casino, 109 r. Oberkampf, lleme. M: Parmentier or Menilmontant. This latest hot spot is drawing in the crowds of the lleme. Each night offers a different form of entertainment, ranging from concerts (rock, electronic, house, or drum and bass), clubbing, video shows, and modern art exhibits.
MONTMARTRE AND PIGALLE (9EME, 17EME, 18EME)
Bus Palladium, 6 r. Fontaine, 9eme. M: Pigalle, Blanche, or St-Georges. Getting past the bouncers can be tough. A trendy, beautiful crowd rocks this rock n’ roll club. Cover ‚16. Tu free cover and drinks for ladies. Drinks ‚13. Open Tu-Sa llpm-6am. AmExV.
Folies Pigalle, 11 pi. Pigalle, 9feme. M: Pigalle. The largest and wildest club in the sleazy Pigalle q’uarter definitely not for the faint of heart. Popular among both gay and straight clubbers. Very crowded, even at 4am. Open Su 5pm-6am, Tu-Th midnight-6am, F-Sa midnight-noon. ‚20 cover; includes first drink. Drinks ‚10. AmExMCV.
