Best Craft Beer Bars for Nightlife in Paris
Paris isn’t just about wine anymore. Over the last decade, the city’s beer scene has exploded-quietly at first, then all at once. You can now walk through Le Marais or Belleville and find taps pouring hazy IPAs, barrel-aged stouts, and crisp lagers brewed just miles from the Eiffel Tower. This isn’t tourist bait. These are places where locals go after work, where brewers test new recipes, and where the night doesn’t end at midnight.
La Bièrerie
La Bièrerie in the 10th arrondissement isn’t flashy, but it’s the most consistent spot in the city. With over 150 bottles and 20 taps, it’s a no-frills temple to beer. The staff doesn’t wear aprons or recite tasting notes-they just pour and ask if you want another. Their rotating taps feature small French breweries like Brewery L’Alchimiste and Bière de la Cité, alongside Belgian classics and Oregon IPAs. The beer here is cold, fresh, and never overpriced. You’ll find engineers from nearby Gare du Nord, artists from the Canal Saint-Martin, and tourists who stumbled in by accident-all sitting elbow to elbow. It’s the kind of place where you order a 500ml pour of a sour cherry ale, sip it slowly, and realize you’ve been there for two hours.
Le Comptoir du Relais
Don’t let the name fool you. This tiny bar in Saint-Germain-des-Prés looks like a 1950s bistro, but the beer list reads like a brewery catalog. Owner Jean-Marc Lefebvre started here as a sommelier, then fell in love with craft beer after a trip to Portland. He now sources exclusively from independent producers. The bar has just 12 seats, and you’ll often wait 15 minutes to get one. But it’s worth it. Try the Brasserie de la Gironde’s Bière de Garde-earthy, slightly spicy, and served at cellar temperature. They don’t have food, but they’ll let you bring in a baguette from the bakery across the street. It’s the kind of place where the bartender remembers your name after one visit.
Le 1000 Bouteilles
Located under the elevated tracks near Gare de l’Est, Le 1000 Bouteilles lives up to its name. The walls are lined with bottles-over 1,200 of them. The space is industrial, with concrete floors and hanging Edison bulbs, but the vibe is warm. This is where Paris’s beer nerds gather on Thursday nights for tap takeovers. In 2024, they hosted a 12-hour event with BrewDog Paris that sold out in 48 hours. Their tap list changes daily, but you’ll always find something unexpected: a lactose-infused pastry stout from Lyon, a dry-hopped pilsner from Normandy, or a wild fermentation ale from the Pyrenees. The staff doesn’t just know the beer-they know the brewers. Ask about the one from a former Parisian chef who quit his job to brew in a garage in Brittany. He’s now one of their top suppliers.
Le Bistrot de la Bière
Just off Place de la République, this bar feels like a Belgian pub crossed with a Parisian café. The wooden tables are worn smooth, the ceiling is low, and the beer is always flowing. What sets it apart is their focus on regional French brewing. You won’t find Heineken here. Instead, you’ll get Brasserie du Mont-Blanc’s Alpina, a crisp lager brewed with mountain spring water, or La Chouffe’s signature blonde ale from the Ardennes. They serve beer in proper tulip glasses, and the temperature is always perfect. On weekends, they host live acoustic sets-no DJs, no loud music, just a guitarist and a room full of people sipping slowly. It’s the perfect spot to ease into the night without getting lost in the noise.
Brasserie de la Gironde
This isn’t just a bar-it’s a brewery with a tasting room. Opened in 2022 in the 11th arrondissement, it’s one of the few places in Paris where you can drink beer straight from the source. The brewer, Claire Moreau, trained in Belgium and brought back traditional methods: open fermentation, long conditioning, and no pasteurization. Their flagship beer, La Gironde IPA, has won awards in London and Berlin. It’s hoppy but balanced, with notes of grapefruit and white pepper. They also have a rotating sour series called Les Jardins de Paris, made with local fruit like mirabelle plums and blackcurrants from the Île-de-France region. The space is bright and airy, with a small patio that fills up fast on warm evenings. If you want to taste what French craft beer can be, this is where you start.
La Cave à Bière
Tucked into a quiet alley near Montparnasse, La Cave à Bière is easy to miss. The sign is small, the door is unmarked, and the interior looks like a wine cellar. But inside, the beer selection is one of the most diverse in Paris. They specialize in rare, limited releases-bottles you won’t find anywhere else. In 2024, they got a shipment of 30 bottles of De Dolle Brouwers’s Moeder, a Belgian strong dark ale aged in rum barrels. It sold out in 90 minutes. They also keep a small fridge of kegs for draft, including a saison brewed with wild yeast harvested from the rooftops of Montmartre. The owner, Élodie, keeps a handwritten log of every beer she stocks. You can ask her about the batch from a brewery in Reims that uses honey from beehives on the Sacré-Cœur. She’ll tell you the story.
Why This Matters
Paris used to be a city where beer was an afterthought. Now, it’s a destination. The shift happened because a new generation of brewers refused to accept that wine was the only option. They started small-in basements, garages, and abandoned warehouses-and built something real. Today, over 200 independent breweries operate in France, and nearly half of them are based in or near Paris. The bars that thrive aren’t the ones with neon signs or cocktail menus. They’re the ones that care about the beer, the people behind it, and the quiet ritual of drinking it well.
If you’re looking for nightlife in Paris that doesn’t involve champagne flutes or standing in line for a club, these spots are your answer. They’re not loud. They’re not crowded with tourists. They’re where the real night begins.
Are craft beer bars in Paris expensive?
Not necessarily. Most craft beer bars in Paris charge between €6 and €10 for a 500ml pour. That’s comparable to a glass of wine in the same area. Some places, like La Bièrerie, offer smaller 250ml tasters for €3-€4, which lets you try multiple styles without overspending. The most expensive beers-rare barrel-aged stouts or limited releases-might hit €15, but those are exceptions, not the norm.
Do these bars serve food?
Some do, some don’t. Le Comptoir du Relais lets you bring in bread from the bakery next door. La Bièrerie has simple snacks like charcuterie and cheese plates. Le Bistrot de la Bière offers traditional French bistro fare: mussels, fries, and duck confit. But places like La Cave à Bière and Le 1000 Bouteilles focus purely on beer. If you’re planning to eat, check ahead-or grab a sandwich on the way.
Are these bars open late?
Yes, most stay open until at least 1 a.m., and some until 2 a.m. or later on weekends. Le 1000 Bouteilles and La Bièrerie often have patrons lingering past midnight, especially on Thursdays and Fridays. Unlike clubs, these places don’t rush you out. If you’re enjoying the beer and the company, you can stay as long as you like.
Do I need to speak French to get served?
Not at all. While many staff members are French, nearly all speak fluent English, especially at the more popular spots. The beer menus often include English descriptions, and staff are used to explaining styles to international visitors. A simple “What’s good today?” or “Can you recommend something hoppy?” will get you far. Locals appreciate the effort-even if you mispronounce bière.
What’s the best time to visit these bars?
Weeknights (Tuesday-Thursday) are quietest and best for conversation. Weekends get busy, especially after 8 p.m., but that’s when the energy is highest. If you want to try a tap takeover or special release, check their Instagram pages-most announce events 24-48 hours in advance. Arrive early if it’s a popular one.
about author
