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7 Insolite and Original Bars You Must Try in Paris
Did you know that Paris is full of hidden and original bars? If you are looking to experiment a side of Paris that is only known by local Parisians, read on! I have selected my top 7 insolite and original bars you must try in Paris.
Whether looking for a bar with no menu where each cocktail is homemade or a secret underground and hype place to spend the evening, this list has got you covered.
That way you can brag to your friends about having experimented Paris like a true local. I usually go to these bars when looking for an original night out in Paris.
1. Wall Street Bar
Wall Street Bar – Source: Official Wall Street Bar instagram page
The Wall Street Bar is a famous bar in Pigalle, known for its fun and playful concept: the prices of their drinks fluctuate and are displayed on a screen in the bar.
Just like betting at a stock exchange market, you get to order whenever you want, with one aim: trying to get your drinks at the lowest price possible.
Some people are hooked to the atmosphere and the happy frenzy and come almost every night to bet and have fun. The Wall Street bar is definitely not a quiet bar, but it is to my mind the perfect place to spend a fun and playful evening in Paris.
Also, whenever I go there, everybody ends up yelling and chatting with everybody because the atmosphere just encourages you to do so. It is definitely one of the most unusual bars of Paris.
Wall Street Bar
49 boulevard de Clichy
75 009 Paris
2. Undergound of the Beef Club
The beef club’s ballroom – Source: Beef Club’s Ballroom official facebook page
This bar is a cozy and secret gem in the 1st arrondissement. The bar is hidden underground of the Beef Club.
To access it, just go to the Beef Club and push the dark doors that are directly between the numbers 58 and 52 of the Jean-Jacques Rousseau street. One of them will open; then go down the stairs and walk towards the end of the hallway. You will then find yourself in the ballroom.
It is an expensive, felted bar with welcoming sofas and an extremely well-crafted drink card (few drinks with excellent balance).
The cocktails are pricey (starting 10€) but the atmosphere of the bar is really something else. They also have excellent nonalcoholic cocktails starting 9€.
On Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, the bar stays open later than 2 am, with memorable dj nights – I even forget I am in Paris when I go there because the atmosphere is so cinematographic.
The Beef Club Ballroom
58 rue Jean-Jacques Rousseau
75 001 Paris
3. Le Bisou
Cocktails at Le Bisou – Source: Le Bisou official website
The bisou is one of my favorite unusual bars in Paris. You will spot the bar from far away – plants, welcoming terrace, and pink wall paint all over. The setting is incredibly welcoming, especially in spring and summer.
The specificity of the Bisou is quite simple: there is no fixed drink menu. You can order an alcoholic cocktail (12€) or a nonalcoholic one (9€). The bartender will ask you what you like and dislike, and prepare something magic for you.
You can also ask them to prepare a special cocktail for you at their own taste. The drinks are insanely original and good (all garnished with fresh flowers) and the ingredients are organic.
If you are hungry, I strongly recommend you taste their hummus; you can share it because the portions are satisfying.
The Bisou is a very friendly bar – I hence recommend you do not go there if you are looking for a lonely cocktail tasting. The bartenders will talk to you to ask you what you like and dislike, and other costumers too. I find it the perfect place to meet new people and make new friends.
Le Bisou
15 boulevard du Temple
75 003 Paris
4. Le Bar Brocante
Drawing of the Bar – Source: Bar Brocante Eva Pritsky official facebook page
Le Bar Brocante is a quintessentially Parisian and unusual experience in the 20th arrondissement in Menilmontant. At the Brocante bar, you can negociate and buy everything on display. Everything is second hand of course, and chosen specifically by the bar’s owner.
The bar is tiny, and usually full of wanderers and regulars passionately debating with the owner. Everyone is weird and friendly there, you never know what you will leave the bar with at the end of the night: a second hand jewelry box, a new friend, and most certainly a smile.
Le Bar Brocante
5 rue d’Eupatoria
75 020 Paris
5. The Liquorium
The liquorium – Source: The Liquorium official facebook page
The Liquorium is another hidden gem in the 1st arrondissement of Paris. This secret bar is hidden underground of the bar the Drink Doctor. You can access it through stairs inside of the Drink Doctor.
The atmosphere of the Liquorium is mesmerizing, and their cocktails are absolutely worth the go. The mixes and presentation are fascinating and absolutely instagramable.
The Liquorium
11 rue Saint Denis
75 001 Paris
7. L’entre potes
L’entre potes (in english « among buddies ») is a very surprising bar of the 11th arrondissement. It is a well-known address in the neighborhood for people looking for delicious and classic cocktails, and friendly staff.
The most surprising aspect of the bar is of course the underground room, built inside an old metro station! You can privatize this room for a birthday or a special event too, you are guaranteed to spend a memorable evening and if you remember to take pictures, the atmosphere of the bar might make your friends envious.
L’entre potes
14 rue de Charonne
75 011 Paris
And there you have them, my top 7 original and insolite bars you must try in Paris. These places are unique and guaranteed to make you spend a memorable and unusual night out in Paris.
If you are willing to dwell further on the unusual night-time scene of the French capital, check out my list of the best 10 geek bars in Paris.
If you are reading this article, you are somewhat of an explorer and like to discover hidden gems in the cities you visit. If you are looking for a free tour made by local Parisians to help you discover all the secret places and gems of Paris neighborhoods, check this page out!
