Paris is full of many unique, charming places, but it’s full of a lot of tourist traps too.  There’s plenty of wine bars and seedy corners to go have a drink but unless you know your way around you can easily miss out on some of the best cocktails out there.  I am lucky enough to work at Broken Shaker at Freehand Miami  here in Miami, so I have had the opportunity to meet with phenomenal bartenders from all over the world.  However, this means my standards for great cocktails, service and atmosphere are at an all time high.  I’ve spent a lot of time in Paris the past two years and have compiled a list from my adventures there along with suggestions from local Parisian service industry professionals to help you find the most top notch places in the city without completely breaking your budget.  If you’re looking for more information about the city itself and what to do, check out our Paris City Guide.

Dirty Dick –  Tucked away on a side street in South Pigalle, you’ll find this seemingly out-of-place tiki bar. Dirty Dick has long been on my list since meeting the owner a few years back at Broken Shaker. His drinks were outstanding and I had been obsessed with making my way to Paris to see the bar in all it’s glory. It did not disappoint. Extravagant  to Classic tiki cocktails adorned the menu and they were all moderately priced. The staff is outstanding and creative and so much fun.  I can’t truly decide what my favorite drink was but I know my love of rum grew each trip I took to this bar.  Even better, this bar is super easy to find, it’s just down the street from the Pigalle Metro stop. They close at 2am but don’t worry, if you’re not done drinking just head across the street to Glass where all the service industries professionals show up to close down the bar.

Glass – The group behind Glass is actually one of my favorites in Paris.  They also own Candelaria and Le Mary Celeste.  It’s a bar full of locals and if you’re still hungry into the wee hours of the night you’ll find hot dogs for sale inside the bar. It’s the kind of place you go where you feel like everyone might know your name. I was in there late one of my first times there and was just chatting with my husband and cousin who happened to meet me in Paris when a boisterous man cut into the conversation to let us know he knew exactly what we were talking about – come to find out, he had lived in Miami previously and frequented my bar. You just feel at home and not in a bar across the world in a city completely foreign to you.  The Quixotic Projects also owns Les Grands Verres and Hero two places I haven’t made it to yet but am dying to check out.

No Entry – Right now Paris is super into speakeasy style bars. I don’t know why but you’ll find quite a few all over the city. No Entry is one of my favorites. It’s an Italian speakeasy with honestly the coolest menu I have ever seen. To the point that the menu itself is for sale. If you didn’t know this bar existed you would never find it. It’s located in the bottom level of the Instagram famous restaurant, Pink Mamma. You head down the stairs and find yourself suddenly in the meat cooler with a simple metal door with a small sign reading “no entry.” Upon opening the door you are in a completely different magenta colored world. Glass bottles that look like bubbles filled with herbs and liquids fill glass shelves in front of mirrored walls.  The bar display is impressive even without the vintage spirits they carry. The prices aren’t the cheapest but its affordable if you just come by for a drink or two. The bartenders are all super friendly and knowledgeable – and even gave me a boomerang, a drink to bring back to the staff at Broken Shaker in Miami in my checked luggage!  If you’re looking for more speakeasy style bars in Paris check out Moonshiner, Experimental Cocktail Club, Lavomatic, and Le Très Particulier.

Some other favorites of mine are Bar a Bulles – it’s right above Moulin Rouge! You can sit directly behind the windmills! So cool! Cafe Moderne in the Bastille area had the coolest, most unusual menu I have ever seen. It was on vinyl and the VINYL PLAYED MUSIC STILL!  Candelaria I mentioned before but what I didn’t tell you is it’s a Taqueria too! Get some of these awesome tacos early on in the evening before the sell out.