Paris isn’t just about wine anymore
For decades, Paris was known for its wine bars, sidewalk cafés, and champagne toasts. But if you walk through the 10th, 11th, or 12th arrondissements after 8 p.m., you’ll find a different kind of buzz-crisp pints of hoppy IPA, rich stouts poured from taps imported from Belgium, and locals clinking glasses of sour farmhouse ales. Craft beer isn’t a trend here anymore. It’s a movement. And the bars leading it are where the real nightlife thrives.
La Dernière Goutte - The OG of Parisian Craft Beer
Open since 2012, La Dernière Goutte in the 10th arrondissement still holds the crown as Paris’s first dedicated craft beer bar. It’s small, no frills, and packed every Friday night. The owner, a former brewer from Lyon, rotates 18 taps daily, with 70% of them from independent French and Belgian microbreweries. You won’t find Heineken here. Instead, try the Brasserie de la Senne Taras Boulba, a Belgian-style IPA with citrus and pine that’s become a local legend. The bar doesn’t have a menu-you ask the bartender what’s fresh. They’ll hand you a sample glass first. If you like it, you get a full pint. If not, no problem. No pressure. Just good beer and honest advice.
Le Comptoir Général - Beer, Music, and Street Art
Step into Le Comptoir Général in the 10th, and you’ll feel like you’ve wandered into a hidden courtyard in New Orleans. Exposed brick, mismatched chairs, hanging plants, and murals by local artists cover every wall. The beer list? 40+ bottles and 12 taps, all focused on small-batch producers. Their Brasserie Lancelot from Brittany is a favorite-light, dry, and perfect for summer nights. But what makes this place a nightlife staple isn’t just the beer. It’s the live jazz on Thursday, the vinyl spinning on Saturday, and the way strangers end up sharing a table because there’s no room left. It’s not a bar. It’s a social experiment with hops.
Brasserie de la Butte - Where Locals Go After Dinner
Nestled in Montmartre, Brasserie de la Butte looks like a classic French bistro from the outside. Inside, it’s a craft beer haven. The owner, a former sommelier who switched to beer after a trip to Portland, curates a list that leans heavily on French and American small brewers. Their Les Brasseurs de l’Aube saison is brewed just 40 kilometers away and has a subtle spice that pairs perfectly with their house-made charcuterie. This place doesn’t open until 6 p.m., but by 9 p.m., it’s standing room only. Locals come here after dinner-not to drink and leave, but to linger. The vibe is relaxed, the staff remembers your name, and the playlist is always just loud enough to talk over.
La Maison du Whisky - Beer That Tastes Like Whisky
Don’t let the name fool you. La Maison du Whisky, tucked away in the 1st arrondissement, is one of the most surprising spots in Paris for craft beer. They started as a whisky specialist but added beer in 2020 after noticing how many customers asked for barrel-aged stouts and sour ales. Now, their barrel-aged sour beers are the main draw. Try the La Folie from Oregon’s Russian River, aged in oak for 18 months and fermented with wild yeast. It’s tart, funky, and complex-like a fine wine you can drink in one sitting. The bar is quiet, dimly lit, and feels more like a private club. It’s perfect if you want to sip something extraordinary without the noise of a party.
Le Bar à Bière - The Beer Tasting Room
If you’ve ever wanted to learn what makes a Belgian dubbel different from a German bock, Le Bar à Bière in the 11th is your classroom. This place doesn’t serve food. It doesn’t play music. It just serves beer-and education. Every Thursday, they host a Beer 101 session where you taste four styles side by side with a certified beer sommelier. The sessions cost €15 and include a printed guide. Even if you skip the class, the menu is worth exploring. Their Westvleteren 12 (a rare Belgian quadrupel) is available by reservation only, and they’ve been getting it in consistently since 2023. If you’re serious about beer, this is the place to deepen your knowledge.
Le Bistrot du Peintre - The Hidden Gem in the 14th
Most tourists never make it to the 14th arrondissement. That’s fine. It means you’ve got Le Bistrot du Peintre all to yourself. This unassuming spot near the Montparnasse cemetery has only eight stools at the bar, but the beer list is one of the most thoughtful in the city. The owner sources exclusively from small French and German breweries that don’t export. You’ll find Brasserie de la Gironde’s amber ale, brewed with local buckwheat, and St. Bernardus’s 12, a rich, malty Belgian classic. The walls are covered in vintage posters of Parisian painters, and the owner will tell you the story behind every bottle. It’s quiet. It’s cozy. And it’s the kind of place you’ll want to return to every time you’re in Paris.
What to Expect: No Tourist Traps, Just Real Beer
Parisian craft beer bars don’t cater to tourists. They don’t have English menus. They don’t offer happy hours. They don’t have neon signs. If you walk in expecting a craft beer version of a chain pub, you’ll be disappointed. But if you’re willing to slow down, ask questions, and try something unfamiliar, you’ll find something better: authenticity. The beer here isn’t brewed to be trendy. It’s brewed to be good. And the people who run these bars? They’ve spent years traveling to breweries in Belgium, the U.S., and Japan to bring back what works.
When to Go: Timing Matters
Parisian nightlife doesn’t start at 9 p.m. It starts at 10:30. Most craft beer bars don’t fill up until after 11. Weekends are packed, especially Friday and Saturday. If you want a seat at La Dernière Goutte or Le Comptoir Général, show up between 10 and 10:30. Weeknights are quieter but just as good-especially Tuesday and Wednesday, when many bars offer half-price tastings. Don’t be afraid to ask: “What’s new this week?” That’s how you’ll find the rarest beers.
Pro Tip: Bring Cash
Most of these bars don’t take credit cards. Or if they do, they charge a fee. Cash is king. Keep €20-€30 in small bills. A pint runs €6-€9. A tasting flight is €10-€15. You’ll want to try multiple things. And you’ll want to leave a little extra for the bartender who showed you something you’d never heard of.
What You Won’t Find
You won’t find mass-produced lagers. You won’t find beer served in plastic cups. You won’t find loud DJs or karaoke nights. And you won’t find a single place that calls itself a “brewpub.” That’s because most of these bars don’t brew their own beer. They curate it. They respect it. And they let the beer speak for itself.
Final Thought: Paris Is a Beer City Now
Five years ago, you could count the good craft beer bars in Paris on one hand. Today, there are over 60. And the quality keeps rising. This isn’t a fad. It’s the result of a generation of French brewers and bar owners who refused to accept that beer had to be bland. They looked beyond the borders, learned from the best, and built something real. If you’re in Paris and you want nightlife that’s lively, thoughtful, and full of flavor-skip the wine bars. Go where the beer is. And don’t just drink it. Taste it.
Are craft beer bars in Paris expensive?
Pints range from €6 to €9, and tasting flights are usually €10-€15. That’s comparable to a good wine by the glass. Some rare beers, like Westvleteren 12, cost more-up to €18-but they’re only available in small amounts. Most bars offer half-price tastings on weeknights, so you can sample more without spending a lot.
Do I need to speak French to order beer?
Not at all. Most bartenders speak enough English to help you choose. But learning a few words like "Quelle est la bière la plus fraîche?" (What’s the freshest beer?) goes a long way. Many bars don’t have English menus, so pointing or asking for recommendations works better than trying to read a long list.
Can I buy beer to take home?
Yes. Most craft beer bars sell bottles to go. Some even have a small shop section. Look for bottles labeled "à emporter" (to take away). Popular choices include La Dernière Goutte’s own limited releases and French sours from Brasserie de l’Aube. Don’t forget to check French customs rules if you’re flying out-alcohol limits apply.
Are these bars open late?
Most stay open until 1 a.m. on weekends. Le Comptoir Général and La Dernière Goutte often stay open until 2 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Weeknights usually end at midnight. No place closes before 11 p.m., so you’ll always have time to enjoy a few drinks after dinner.
Is there food at these beer bars?
Some do, some don’t. La Dernière Goutte offers simple snacks like cheese and charcuterie. Le Comptoir Général and Le Bistrot du Peintre have full small-plate menus. Le Bar à Bière serves nothing but beer. If you’re planning to eat, check ahead. But even without food, the beer alone makes these spots worth visiting.
