On the rare day that you find yourself sitting in your apartment starving for some conversation in English or just there are many ex-pat hangouts that can turn a blue day into something brighter.
MOOSE’S
Is in St. Germain has got to the difinitive ex-pat hangouts. It’s run by Canadians (hence the name) and they have sports all the time. American football too! They also cook up a wicked hamburger and have a wide selection of beers. Check out their website for fun pics and nightly events www.mooseheadparis.com
FU BAR
Right across the way from Moose’s is a small little bar called the FU BAR which is reknowned for it’s secret appletini recipe. If you’re looking for an ex-pat college crowd, and perhaps a little kareoke then this is the place. It fills up with an 18-25 year old crowd on the weekend and can either be a lot of crazy fun or a self concious look-at-me-look-at-me kind of experience. The upstairs hosts local dj’s most nights and normally spins cool funky house beats and mello trance. Biggest complaint is the lack of air circulation and the incredible amount of cigarette smoke that permeates hair, clothes, and lungs. There’s no windows upstairs…so beware. After a few cocktails this minor detail seems hardly noticable.
Location: 5 Rue St-Sulpice 6th Arroindesment
Telephone: 00 331 4051 8200
LE FUMOIR
This is my favorite place. They have a well stocked bar with trained handsome bilingual bartenders. A great place to unwind in a comfy leather chair with a martini. They know how to make a martini to suit even the most discriminating of tastes. The crowd is mainly Ex-pat business people but there are a lot of trendy Francais that come too. The restaurant is excellent and reminicent of upscale trendy New York fusion food. When I want a good martini and a fabulous seasonal meal I go here. I think the metro stop is Louvre-Rivoli. Make sure to make a reservation for dinner–the hostess speaks English.
Locaction: 6 Rue Adival-de-Coligny M. Louvre Rivoli
HARRY’S
There are many that would argue that this famous bar draws an ex-pat crowd, but I think think they cater more to the tourist crowd. Either way, their cocktails are good and it’s always an interesting evening. The regular characters will entertain you to no avail. (Be careful of the Swedish guy who has a lot of bar tricks to perform!) They have lots of cool American paraphenailia around the bar like old college banners and pictures of famous people that used to come (Hemmingway, etc.). The bartenders have been there for a long long time and don the traditional old school white bar coats. It’s a fun place to come with a group or just sit at the bar and chat with the bartenders.
Location: rue Daunou 2nd Mº Opéra
Telephone: (00 33 1) 4261 7114
BUDDHA BAR:
Another ex-pat favorite and a place you must go to at least once. This bar and restaurant is super trendy and boasts a two story golden buddha. The ambiance is trendy zen and it’s a really nice mix of French, ex-pat, and hip tourists. However the drink prices are ridiculous and there’s not much liquor in them. I get annoyed when I am charged 16 euros for a simple gin and tonic and it’s not even a proper pour. The Thai fusion food is comme-ci, comme-ca and probably a better deal than the drinks. Despite the outrageous drink prices, it’s still a fun place to go and a great way to network and meet people. Order a glass of wine or a European beer if you don’t want to get ripped off. Check out their website: www.buddha-bar.com
Location: 8 Rue Boissy d’ Anglais M. Concorde 75008
Telephone: 01 53 05 90 00
Technorati Tags: bars, Food, paris bars, Paris nightclubs, Paris restaurants
The Moosehead is definitely one of my favourite places in Paris, me being quite the proud Canuck. 😉 Thanks for the other recommendations – I’m sure they’ll be useful for my upcoming trip.