Experimental Cocktail Club

Les Halles / Rivoli - 1er / 2eme, Paris –

Created by three young Frenchmen with a dream to open a cocktail bar in Paris – somewhat of a rarity in this city – Experimental Cocktail Club is just that: a baroque-styled one-room bar that specializes in intricate classic cocktails bursting with basil, lemon grass, elderflower, and lord knows what else.

Located on a small side street off the popular Montorgueil, the club is a tiny stone hideaway – barely room for forty people – and features an eclectic décor of sleek black wood floors and leather seating coupled with rustic bricks and an eye-catching neon chandelier.

Despite the chi-chi design, the cozy joint is an easygoing yet spirited spot that feels more like a private party for eclectic artists than just another bar. The overall sense of camaraderie welcomes regulars and newcomers alike, who pull up a stool, settle in for a spell, and watch the expert mixologists handle shakers and stirrers with magical aplomb.

Trying new things is the order of the day at Experimental Cocktail Club – even if the drinks are made with old-fashioned meticulousness.