Paris Latin Quarter And St-Germain

Nightlife is a bit stronger in the fifth arrondissement; plenty of pricey bars and jazz clubs line the main streets and boulevards around St-Michel. What better way to walk off a few beers than a stroll down the promenade along the Seine? The 6éme is more of a bar and student-centered nightlife scene.

Le Caveau de la Huchette, 5 rue de la Huchette (☎01 43 26 65 05; www.caveaudelahuchette.fr), In the past, the Caveau was a meeting place for secret societies and directors of the Revolution; downstairs, you can still see the prison cells and execution chambers occupied by the victims of Danton and Robespierre. WWII brought American soldiers, bebop, and New Orleans jazz to the establishment. Now an eclectic crowd of students, tourists, and locals comes prepared to listen, watch, and participate in an old-school jazz show in this affordable, popular club. Live music 10pm-2am. Cover M-Th €12, F-Sa €14, Su €12, students €10. Cocktails €8. Beer €6. Open M-W 9:30pm-2:30am, Th-Sa 9:30pm-dawn, and Su 9pm-2:30am. Takes credit cards. Serves alcohol.
Le Who's Bar, 13 rue Petit Pont (☎01 43 54 80 71), This bar stays open super late right in the swing of things—a stone's throw from the Seine and in the heart of the Latin Quarter's bar scene. Live pop and rock music every night at 10:30pm is not exactly original, but it certainly gets the job done. Old and young alike get down on the often sweaty dance floor; the old folks take the cake in terms of funkiness (smell and dancing abilities included). Disco in the basement W-Su 10:30pm-midnight. Beer €5.50-12. Cocktails €10-12. Aperos €6-10. Open M-Th 5pm-5am, F-Sa 6pm-6am, Su 5pm-5am. Takes credit cards. Serves alcohol.
Finnegan's Wake, 9 rue des Boulangers (☎01 46 34 23 65; www.finneganswakeparis.com), Claiming to be Paris's first, and best Irish pub Finnegan's has been around since 1989. The bar is a dark, renovated wine cellar with low ceilings and successfully combines a bougie French vibe with the unmistakeable feel of a gritty South Boston bar. Have a pint (€6) with the boisterous (i.e., as Irish as Paris can get) crowd of students and (drinking) professionals. O ccasional live concerts of traditional Irish music in the downstairs cave from 5pm. Pints €5. Cocktails €6-7. Open M-Th 6am-2am, F-Sa 6pm-4am. Happy hour daily 5-9pm Does not take credit cards.
Le 10 Bar, 10 rue de l'Odéon (☎01 43 26 66 83; www.le10bar.com), A classic student hangout; the “facade” of the bar makes it look more like a flop-house than a pub. Precocious Parisian youths indulge in philosophical discussions while getting drunk. After several glasses of their famous spiced sangria (€3-3.50), anything can happen. Jukebox plays everything from Édith Piaf to Aretha Franklin. Beer €3.50-5.50, Sangria €3-3.50. Open daily 6pm-2am. Happy hour 4-8pm. Does not take credit cards. Serves alcohol.
L'Académie de la Bière, 88bis bd. de Port Royal 01 43 54 66 65 (www.academie-biere.com), With 12 beers on tap and over 300 more in bottles, this bar is as serious about beer as the Académie de La Langue Francaise is about the correct use of the subjunctive. According to this academy, “Hunger has no hour, nor does thirst”; accordingly, service of food, and obviously beer, is continuous throughout the night. Extensive menu featuring big portions of salads (€10.50), tartines (€6-10.50), and hot plats (€9-15), among many other offerings. Takes credit cards. Serves alcohol.
Le Caveau des Oubliettes, 52 rue Galande 01 46 34 23 09 Divided into two main rooms and two divergent drinking experiences, Le Caveau des Oubliettes is a rare find in Paris. The upstairs bar (La Guillotine) has sod carpeting, ferns, and a real guillotine, creating a vibe that toes the line between Irish bog and French Revolution. The downstairs cellar or cave is an outstanding jazz club, and in those rare moments when there's no music playing, a good old-fashioned beer cave where dudes tend to bro and beer out. This cellar's previous use was as an actual caveau des oubliettes (literally “cave of the forgotten ones”), where criminals were locked up and forgotten. Takes credit cards. Serves alcohol.
Le Piano Vache, 8 rue Laplace 01 46 33 75 03 (lepianovache.com), This place certainly has character—once a butcher shop, Le Piano Vache (“The Cow Piano”) is now a dim bar with an excess of cow paraphernalia and rockin' tunes nearly every night. A popular film site for music videos and movies, Piano Vache boasts a funky vibe, and a correspondingly eclectic crowd; patrons range from hipsters to nerds to older folks to Johnny Depp, who has been known to stop by. Takes credit cards. Serves alcohol.
Aux Trois Mailletz, 56 rue Galande 01 43 54 00 79, 01 43 25 96 86 before 5pm The crowded basement cave features world jazz fusion (starting around 11pm), while the upper level buzzes with a mix of uncharacteristically chic students and older folks for cabaret or subdued piano concerts (starting around 10pm). Piano concerts come complete with personal serenades. Takes credit cards. Serves alcohol.
Le Petit Journal, 71 bd. St-Michel 01 43 26 28 59 (www.petitjournalsaintmichel.com), A good hike up bd. St-Michel away from the Seine. Le Petit is one of the early jazz strongholds that consistently draws a mostly middle-aged crowd. Low ceilings, an old-fashioned bar right underneath the second floor of seating, and tables right next to the band create an intimate (or cramped, depending on your outlook) atmosphere. Top-rated New Orleans and Big Band acts frequently perform here. Takes credit cards.
Horse's Tavern, 16 Carrefour de l'Odéon 01 43 54 96 91 Spread out on the lovely Carrefour de l'Odéon, Horse's Tavern serves up a wide variety of beers—the names of all the available beers line the terrace's awnings—and offers a relaxed bar experience. Waiters are tatted up and a bit severe, but the glasses are well-cleaned (relatively rare in Paris). Takes credit cards. Serves alcohol. Has outdoor seating.
The Moose, 16 rue des Quatre Vents 01 46 33 77 00 (www.mooseheadparis.com), Hockey jerseys, Canadian license plates, and beer ads adorn this friendly Canadian bar popular among North American expats. The decor is luxurious, using wood and stone to create a deep winter feeling that crazy people yearn for during the summer time. Restaurant serves North American bar fare—nachos, burgers, and wings—until midnight. Takes credit cards. Serves alcohol.
Fu Bar, 5 rue St-Sulpice 01 40 51 82 00 This affordable multi-level bar boasts a ceaselessly boisterous Anglophone crowd. Great for impressing a date who has a martini sweet tooth, this hip bar serves quite the array of tantalizing martinis (€7.50) along with the regular bar fare. Takes credit cards. Serves alcohol.