Tapas in Paris: 33 Places for Small Plates and Big Nights
In Paris, "tapas" on a sign can mean anything from a real Basque bar to a tourist café selling reheated chorizo and a bowl of olives for the price of a main course. And the small-plates craze has made menus harder to read, not easier.
We went through the guides locals trust to find the tapas in Paris that are worth sharing: 33 places, and fair warning, the tag is broad. You'll find Basque and Catalan kitchens, standing counters serving French mini-plates, natural wine bistros and Japanese izakayas. See also our small plates, Spanish food and wine bars.
Thomas Chisholm's creative bistro blends French, Catalan, and American influences into shareable small plates, earning recognition in the MICHELIN guide for its innovative approach to sustainable gastronomy.
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Chef Inaki Aizpitarte's contemporary tapas bar where Rem Koolhaas-designed marble interiors meet bold French bistrot cooking and an exceptional natural wine selection.
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A casual seafood bistro in the 16th arrondissement where Chef Florian Giacalone celebrates Breton maritime traditions with fresh catches and sharing plates.
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Chef Yves Camdeborde's lively no-reservation comptoir serves 60-70 mini-portions of meat-focused French tapas alongside natural wines in the heart of Saint-Germain.
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A vibrant neighborhood bistrot in Belleville serving seasonal, organic cuisine with Catalan influences and an exceptional natural wine selection.
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Chef Yves Camdeborde's standing-only tapas counter celebrates pork and natural wines in the heart of Marché Saint-Germain.
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Chef Grégory Marchand's lively wine bar serves creative tapas-style plates and an exceptional selection of natural wines in a no-reservation, stand-up atmosphere.
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A contemporary izakaya-style neo-bistro by starred chef Éric Trochon, serving refined small plates cooked over binchotan charcoal in a minimalist setting on rue Mouffetard.
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A Michelin-selected Japanese restaurant near the Louvre offering authentic izakaya-style dining with an exceptional omakase experience.
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A beloved wine bar and bistro tucked in a secret passage, where Australian-inspired tapas and natural wines create unforgettable shared moments.
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A warm Basque tapas bar in Gambetta serving sharing plates inspired by Navarre, paired with carefully curated Spanish wines.
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The legendary cocktail bar at the Ritz Paris where Colin Field has been crafting iconic drinks for 35 years in an intimate setting adorned with Hemingway memorabilia.
A neighborhood bistrot in Belleville where daily market finds meet marine inspiration, paired with natural wines in a convivial setting.
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A vibrant Spanish tapas bar and restaurant in Le Marais serving authentic paella, jamón ibérico, and flamenco-inspired ambiance from breakfast through late night.
A beloved Oberkampf institution serving natural wines and European-inspired small plates in a retro 1960s setting that's been drawing crowds for years.
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Chef Justin Brohm's creative French tapas concept brings homemade seasonal dishes and convivial sharing plates to two distinct Parisian locations.
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A yacht club-inspired cocktail bar where award-winning bartenders craft seasonal signatures alongside natural wines and artisanal beers in a sophisticated maritime setting.
A retro-chic izakaya where organic French ingredients meet Japanese techniques, celebrated for its natural wine selection and commitment to sustainable gastronomy.
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A celestial cocktail sanctuary on Rue Mazarine where Experimental Group's masterful mixologists craft funambulistic libations in a baroque speakeasy setting inspired by 1930s carnival freak shows.
A pioneering 100% plant-based restaurant in the heart of the Marais, where seasonal vegan street food and tapas redefine accessible, delicious vegetarian dining.
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A versatile Marais hotspot serving everything from morning croissants to late-night cocktails, with an eclectic menu spanning continents and a welcoming terrace open until 2 AM.
A pioneering bakery-wine bar in the 10th arrondissement where freshly baked sourdough bread pairs with an expertly curated selection of natural and biodynamic wines.
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A neighborhood Italian gem in the 18th arrondissement serving artisanal Neapolitan pizzas and handmade fresh pasta with seasonal, local ingredients.
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A lively tapas bar where French conviviality meets sharing plates, cocktails, and festive evenings in the 2nd arrondissement.
A joyful, eco-conscious guinguette serving Mediterranean tapas in one of Paris's most beautiful parks, where festive vibes meet inclusive community spirit.
A vibrant Mauritian rhumerie where artisanal rums meet Creole tapas in a beachside-inspired setting near Bastille.
A standing-room-only natural wine bar in the 10th arrondissement where tapas-style sharing plates meet an exceptional selection of biodynamic wines in a striking marble setting.
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A vibrant Basque tapas bar in Tolbiac serving authentic sharing plates and regional wines in a contemporary, festive atmosphere.
A convivial wine bar in Montorgueil serving artisanal tapas and seasonal dishes alongside an extensive wine selection.
A festive floating guinguette on the Seine where Andalusian-inspired bites, wood-fired pizzas, and DJ sets create Paris's most spirited riverside escape.
A vibrant cave à manger where chef Hélène Barré's creative tapas meet an exceptional selection of 250 natural wine references in the heart of Boulevard de la Villette.
A convivial bistro in the 17th arrondissement where generous tapas, house-made tartares, and creative cocktails come together in a warm, vintage-inspired setting.
A convivial tapas bar where generous sharing plates meet an exceptional selection of natural wines in a warm, modern setting near Pigalle.
How to order tapas in Paris
Good tapas are about rhythm: small plates that arrive as they're ready, cooked to order, sized so you can try five or six without regret. The best places change the menu often, keep portions honest and pour good wine by the glass. In Paris, many of these spots don't take bookings, so timing matters more than luck. Each place page tells you whether you can reserve, what regulars order and what a round of plates costs.
Spanish and Basque roots
In Gambetta, Galerna cooks Navarre-inspired Basque tapas, with huevos rotos con txistorra and confited pork shoulder, to go with a list of Spanish wines. In Belleville, Paloma serves a 16€ lunch menu, then switches to Catalan-accented tapas in the evening, from Tuesday to Saturday, with plates between 6€ and 14€ and a generous terrace. Both sit in the 20th arrondissement, a good area for a cheap night out.
French tapas at the counter
Under the arcades of the Marché Saint-Germain, chef Yves Camdeborde runs two standing-only counters. L'Avant Comptoir de la Terre serves 60 to 70 meat-driven mini-plates, from pastel de cochon to foie gras skewers, daily from noon to 11pm, with natural wine from €3.50 a glass. Its neighbor, L'Avant Comptoir du Marché, adds cod croquettes and a baba under a cloud of cream. More in the 6th arrondissement. In the 2nd, Frenchie Bar à Vins pours small-producer wines with bacon scones and shrimp croquettes, seven days a week, no reservations.
Small plates with a twist
On rue Mouffetard, Otto, from starred chef Éric Trochon, cooks izakaya-style plates over binchotan charcoal, three for €19 or four for €24, daily until 2am; see our late-night restaurants. In the 11th, Au Passage hides in a passage with creative plates and natural wines, and Le Dauphin serves bulots mayo in a marble room. For a very different evening, Bar Hemingway at the Ritz serves tapas with its cocktails until 10:30pm; see our bars.
Where to look
The 10th and the 11th have the most tapas on this list, so start with the 11th arrondissement. Most places are mid-priced, but small plates add up fast: order in rounds, not all at once.