Wilde's Lounge at L'Hôtel
The hushed Baroque bar at L'Hôtel is ideal for a discreet rendezvous. Designed in typically opulent Jacques Garcia style, the hideaway evokes the decadent spirit of onetime resident Oscar Wilde.
94 Best Bars in Paris, France
You haven't seen the City of Lights until you've seen the city at night. Throngs pour into popular streets, filling the air with the melody of engaged conversation and clinking glasses. This is when locals let down their hair and reveal their true bonhomie, laughing and dancing, flirting and talking. Parisians love to savor life together: they dine out, drink endless espressos, offer innumerable toasts, and are often so reluctant to separate that they party all night.
Parisians go out weekends and weeknights, late and early. They tend to frequent the same places once they've found spots they like: it could be a wine bar, a corner café, a hip music club, or, more and more, a chic cocktail bar in an out-of-the-way neighborhood. A wise way to spend an evening is to pick an area in a neighborhood that interests you, then give yourself time to browse. Parisians also love to bar-hop, and the energy shifts throughout the evening, so be prepared to follow the crowds.
Hôtel du Nord
This hotel—which starred in the classic Marcel Carné film of the same name—has been spiffed up but still maintains its cool with a vibrant lounge-bar (and restaurant) scene in the buzz-worthy Canal St-Martin district.
Le Bar Long
At the Royal Monceau's innovative bar your mixologist will fix your drink right next to you at the illuminated, Philippe Stark–designed bar. The collection of glasses on the walls isn't just decoration—you may choose which to drink from. A light tapas menu is served between 6 and 11 pm.
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Moulin Rouge
When it opened in 1889, the Moulin Rouge lured Parisians of all social stripes—including, of course, the famous Toulouse-Lautrec, who immortalized the venue and its dancers in his paintings. Although shows are no longer quite so exotic (no elephants or donkey rides for the ladies), you will still see the incomparable French cancan. It's the highlight of what is now a classy version of a Vegas-style revue, starring 100 dancers, acrobats, ventriloquists, and contortionists, and more than 1,000 costumes. Dinner starts at 7, revues at 9 and 11 (arrive 30 minutes early). Men are expected to wear a jacket. Prices range from €115 for just a revue to €240 for a luxe dinner and a show.
