My jazz evenings in Paris

When I was younger, I didn’t really like jazz. Perhaps because I didn’t understand it and it was music that seemed reserved for a group of people I didn’t belong to… What a funny idea… Now, I strangely feel like I belong to this group of people who appreciate jazz. I have the pleasant sensation that my mind travels and wanders when I listen to this music. This little introduction is to share with you several Parisian establishments where you can savor a jazz evening the way I like them, while grabbing a bite and/or having a drink.

Jazz band at Les Deux Magots: guitarist, double bassist, and violinist.

Table of Contents

Les Bascules

Les Bascules is a great spot located in the 2nd arrondissement in Paris. This bar-restaurant offers very sophisticated signature cocktails. On the food side, you’ll find small plates to share with a Mediterranean menu created by the Lebanese chef Melissa Nassif, such as mammara, a roasted red pepper dip, a sea bream ceviche, or man’ouché, oven-baked flatbreads. And every Thursday evening, the place hosts live jazz evenings with a concert by an artist or a band from the jazz music scene. In short, a wonderful address to spend a festive and high-quality evening listening to good music.

Food tasting in a restaurant, possibly Les Bascules in Paris.

Jazz trio in concert at Les Bascules: saxophone, double bass, and piano.

Musician playing an upright Yamaha piano during a jazz evening at Les Bascules Paris.

Handcrafted cocktails on a wooden table, jazz bar atmosphere at Les Bascules Paris.

Pide topped with arugula and edible flowers at Les Bascules Paris.

Jazz scene inside Les Bascules Paris with drums, saxophone, and seated patrons.

Shared meal at Les Bascules Paris: skewers, hummus, and pita bread.

Pink cocktail with a dried orange slice at the Les Bascules bar Paris.

Facade of the jazz bar Les Bascules in Paris with luminous signs at night.

Warm interior of the bar Les Bascules in Paris with customers and a barmaid.

Les Bascules
3 Rue de la Bourse 75002 Paris
Open Tuesday to Saturday from 12:00 PM to 2:00 AM
Price: cocktails between €14 and €17 / shared plates between €12 and €17
Jazz Thursday concert admission fee: €20
Link to the venue’s website

Le Melville

Le Melville is a very beautiful address with a chic and intimate setting that offers live performances every evening from Tuesday to Saturday from 9:00 PM! We spent a wonderful jazzy evening there. The place is also a tribute to the eponymous filmmaker and it’s an address whispered among lovers of jazz and world music, with smooth, chic, and surprising ambiances. In the kitchen, you’ll find very well-made plates to share by chef Malcom Ecolasse, all accompanied by the house’s very good cocktails (I recommend you test the Melville or the Hedy Lamarr, or the Marco Polo if you want to try a non-alcoholic cocktail).

Must-try food: the truffled croque-Melville (€16); the green pimientos de padron (€12); the octopus chimichurri (€21); the meagre carpaccio with jalapeno (€20); the passion fruit tuna (€14); the Mer-Guez (€22); the ‘return from the forest’ dish (€14); for dessert, the pistachio floating island (€10); the Poire Belleville (€12); the Melville Millefeuille, the venue’s signature dessert (€15).

Foamy cocktail served by a hand, jazz evening at Le Melville Paris.

Gourmet plate at Le Melville restaurant, Paris.

Interior of the bar-restaurant Le Melville in Paris with customers and an illuminated counter.

Bartender pouring wine at Le Melville, Paris, jazz ambiance.

Ceviche or tartare in a bowl with cocktails at Le Melville restaurant Paris.

Red and amber cocktails at Le Melville, Paris. Credit Nicolas Diolez.

Interior of Le Melville restaurant in Paris with bookshelves filled with books.

Gourmet dish with red berries and sea beans on a Melville Paris plate.

Red, foamy cocktails served on a metal tray at the Le Melville bar in Paris.

Grilled croque-monsieur served at Le Melville restaurant Paris.

Grilled green peppers on a creamy base with red sauce at Le Melville restaurant Paris.

Chocolate dessert with a crispy tuile at Le Melville Paris.

Smiling woman in a hat with desserts and cocktails at the Le Melville bar Paris.

Jazz concert at Le Melville: trumpeter and drummer on stage.

Jazz concert at the Le Melville bar with singer, double bassist, pianist, and drummer.

Illuminated bar of Le Melville in Paris with a waiter and set tables.

Jazz drummer playing on stage at Le Melville restaurant in Paris.

Jazz concert at Le Melville restaurant Paris with trumpeter and drummer.

Facade of Le Melville restaurant in Paris, corner of rue Jean Mermoz and rue Rabelais.

Le Melville
28 rue Jean Mermoz 75008 Paris
Price: cocktails €17 and mocktails €15 (on Live performance evenings, the 1st drink is €25 if the price on the menu is lower) / plates to share between €11 and €23 / desserts between €10 and €15
Link to the venue’s website

Jazz Tuesdays at La Mère Lachaise (closed)

This address, located in the 20th arrondissement of Paris, is one of the establishments of chef Guy Martin. We had already tested this restaurant in 2022 and returned in 2024 to discover their jazz evenings on Tuesday nights. On the program: quality cocktails, a short, seasonal menu with dishes that were as successful as ever! And then every Tuesday evening from 7:30 PM, a live & jazzy ambiance with the group Octave & Anatole setting the pace for the evening. And a little info for enthusiasts, recently the restaurant also offers French chanson evenings in the same format on Thursday nights.

Must-try: the house’s creative cocktails are very good (between €11 and €12 / mocktails €9); for appetizers, the sea bass carpaccio with citrus fruits (€13.50) or the mushroom cream with perfect egg and morel emulsion (€11.50); as for the main course, we fell in love with the sea bream fillet, venere rice risotto with a pepper and grapefruit sauce (€24.50), it was super original; for the sweet touch, we had the finger lemon meringue tart (€11.50).

Smoked salmon rolls and beets on a white plate.

Red cocktail with white foam garnished with hibiscus, held during a jazz evening.

Citrus and pink peppercorn fish carpaccio, served at La Mère Lachaise Paris.

Interior of La Mère Lachaise Paris, set tables and bench under a wall fresco.

Fish fillet on black rice, orange sauce, and sun-dried tomatoes at La Mère Lachaise.

Tasting of sophisticated dishes at a table at the restaurant La Mère Lachaise Paris.

Slices of pink meat on polenta with root vegetables and sauce, La Mère Lachaise.

Trumpeter playing during a jazz evening at La Mère Lachaise, Paris.

Acoustic jazz trio with double bass and two guitars during an evening.

Yellow dessert with meringue, crunch, red jelly, and dill at La Mère Lachaise.

Facade of the restaurant La Mère Lachaise in Paris at night with outdoor terrace.

Jazz evening at La Mère Lachaise with saxophonist and guitarist at the bar.

La Mère Lachaise (2026 update: closed)
78 Bd de Ménilmontant, 75020 Paris
Price: starters between €10 and €13.50 / main courses between €18.50 and €27.50 / desserts between €10 and €11.50 / wines by the glass between €6 and €8.50

Le Son de la Terre

Le Son de la Terre is a super nice address installed on a houseboat at the foot of Notre-Dame de Paris! The place organizes notably dinner-concerts featuring jazz and world music with menus concocted by chef Delphine Ferraro and her team. During our visit last spring, we discovered the Trio Anaé, a vocal group that took us on a sound journey to Brazil. The concert hall with a decidedly cosmopolitan program is located in the hold, but the space is open so that you can also enjoy the concert from the deck.

Burrata on tomatoes and beets, pesto sauce, glass of white wine.

Female trio concert and guitarist playing jazz at Le Son de la Terre Paris.

Pâté en croûte served with salad, vegetables, and hazelnuts at the restaurant Le Son de la Terre.

Jazz concert at Le Son de la Terre Paris with seated audience.

Trio of singers in concert during a jazz evening in Paris.

Fish dish with cream sauce and seasonal vegetables at Le Son de la Terre Paris.

Le Son de la Terre, Notre-Dame under reconstruction, and Paris cobblestones.

Houseboat Le Son de la Terre on the Seine in Paris under a bridge.

Le Son de la Terre
2 Port de Montebello 75005 Paris
Price: dinner-concert package at €70 per person / without the concert, appetizer + main course + dessert package at €45 and appetizer + main course or main course + dessert €35 / wines by the glass between €6 and €8 and cocktails €14
Link to the houseboat’s website

Le Jazz Café Montparnasse (closed)

The Jazz Café Montparnasse (formerly Le Petit Journal), is truly a legendary and essential establishment for Jazz in Paris that has reopened very recently. During our evening in this beautiful establishment, we had the chance to discover the Mourad Benhammou and The Jazzworkers in concert, who treated us to an incredible musical moment with their modern and fast-paced Jazz Bop!

We also took advantage of our evening to test the establishment’s menu, which also offers a very appreciable restaurant service during concerts. However, don’t panic: if you don’t want to dine on-site, you can also simply attend the concert while sipping a cocktail or a glass of wine. A very beautiful address that I really advise you to discover if you are a jazz lover, to spend a beautiful evening as a couple or with friends.

Jazz band on stage: saxophonist, trumpeter, pianist, and drummer.

Jazz musician playing the trumpet on stage, jazz evening at Café Montparnasse.

Double bassist in concert at Jazz Café Montparnasse.

Iced cocktail with lime wedge and black straws at the bar.

Jazz pianist playing a grand piano during an evening in Paris.

Woman with glasses and cocktail at the Jazz Café Montparnasse.

Clear cocktail with lime and straw in a patterned glass, jazz atmosphere.

Jazz scene at Café Montparnasse with customers seated at tables.

Must-try:

Price: evening menu with appetizer + main course or main course + dessert at €39 and appetizer + main course + dessert at €48

Openwork candle holder diffusing warm light, Montparnasse jazz ambiance.

Woman eating a red berry dessert in a Parisian café.

Diolez salad with root vegetables and lamb's lettuce, Paris jazz atmosphere.

Poached egg with dark sauce and crumbles in a white bowl, Le Jazz Café Montparnasse.

Crème brûlée flambée at Jazz Café Montparnasse.

Strawberry and currant dessert in a black bowl at Jazz Café Montparnasse.

Red neon Jazz Café Montparnasse restaurant facade at night.

Openwork candle holder illuminating a table set for a dinner in a Parisian jazz venue.

A big thank you to Jazz Café Montparnasse and Jane for this beautiful invitation.

Jazz Café Montparnasse (2026 update: closed)
13 Rue du Commandant René Mouchotte, 75014 Paris
free concerts from Tuesday to Saturday from 9:00 PM
Link to the venue’s website

Jazz evening at Les Deux Magots

The Saint-Germain-des-Prés institution, Les Deux Magots, has decided (to our greatest delight) to let its walls resonate once again with the sound of jazz. Thus, every Thursday evening from 7:30 PM, anyone can have a drink or dine while listening to the invited musician or band. Inside the legendary room, where Simone de Beauvoir used to sit to write and think, the musicians settle in and bring out the joyful or plaintive sounds of melodies played on the double bass, sax, guitar… A little moment out of time in a legendary place.

During our visit, we had the chance to listen to the Heather Stewart trio (Heather Stewart: vocals – Leigh Barker: double bass – Romain Villemin: guitar). To accompany the music, I advise you to order a cheese and charcuterie plate to share with a good glass of wine (it always goes well together!).

Jazz concert in the evening at Les Deux Magots, Diolèz room, Paris.

Facade of the literary café Les Deux Magots at night in Paris.

Jazz trio with guitar, double bass, and violin at Les Deux Magots.

Charcuterie and cheese plate at Les Deux Magots Paris.

"Les Deux Magots" cheese and charcuterie plate with salad.

Jazz band at Les Deux Magots: violinist, guitarist, and double bassist in concert.

Next concert:

A big thank you to Les Deux Magots and Vinciane for this beautiful invitation.

Les Deux Magots
6 Place Saint-Germain des Prés, 75006 Paris
free concert every Thursday evening from 7:30 PM to 10:30 PM until March 2020
Link to the venue’s website

Musical evenings at Hôtel Baume

Located in the heart of Saint-Germain-des-Prés, the Hôtel Baume offers a leap into the heart of the 30s with its Art Deco universe. To go further in this journey back in time, every first Wednesday of the month, from 7:00 PM to 10:30 PM, the Hôtel Baume gathers jazz lovers for an evening punctuated by the Ben Acoustic Jazz trio, accompanied by a cocktail and a gourmet plate in their lounge.

The trio is also accompanied by several guests, in an ambiance punctuated by soul jazz and gospel. On the evening of our visit, we had the chance to hear, among others, Jo Ann Picken, a gospel diva with an incredible voice. The atmosphere of the evening was extremely friendly and rather intimate. And then, the icing on the cake, we had the chance to meet a blogger friend there with our favorite photographer: Laura from Carnets de Lauralou, with whom we shared this beautiful evening.

Charcuterie and cheese plate, amuse-bouche during a jazz evening.

Glass of red wine and flute of champagne during a jazz evening.

Hôtel Baume lounge with people seated during a jazz evening.

Assortment of croque-monsieur and sandwiches cut into triangles served on a slate.

Bearded jazz singer with glasses singing into a microphone, Paris evening.

Jazz musician playing the double bass during an evening at Hôtel Baume.

Jazz singing trio with double bassist during the musical evenings at Hôtel Baume.

Wooden terrace at night with modern chairs and decorative lights in the inner courtyard.

Ivies and yellow fairy lights above plants, Hôtel Baume atmosphere.

Confinement edit: While waiting for the hotel to reopen, the hotel organizes virtual musical evenings on the first Wednesday of every month, where staff members participate from their homes. The 1st one took place on April 1st and can be viewed on the hotel’s Facebook page.

Hôtel Baume
7, rue Casimir Delavigne 75006 Paris
The musical evenings of Baume: every first Wednesday of the month from 7:30 PM to 10:30 PM
with three 45-minute sets
Access is free and open to everyone, on-site consumption is charged (€13
minimum)
Jazz at Saint-Germain package (for 2 people): €45 with 2 glasses of Champagne and 2
savory croques of your choice / €40 identical package but with red or white wine
Link to the hotel’s website

Jazz evenings at Chez Fernand

In 2017 I went to the heart of Saint-Germain-des-Prés to spend a jazzy evening Chez Fernand (don’t hesitate to check out my full article on this address), a house founded in 1970. On the food side, chef Rémi Lebon selects French products according to the seasons and arrivals and offers generous traditional dishes.

The atmosphere of the place is authentic and friendly, you can find large tables covered with gingham tablecloths, you can easily chat with your neighbor even if you don’t know them, and you can really feel that this is an address for regulars who have been returning regularly for many years. It’s almost as if you were in another time, that of the great era when Saint-Germain-des-Prés was the nerve center of a cultural and artistic effervescence now a little forgotten… But not everywhere, apparently…

Since the beginning of 2017, Chez Fernand has been hosting the jazz group Diximus every other Sunday from 8:00 PM to 11:00 PM to offer a small musical evening to its customers, and we had the chance to be invited to discover one of them. This young trio of jazz musicians, who met at the conservatory, interprets great themes, ballads, and standards from the swing, bebop, and bossa nova repertoire, but also personal compositions.

Hands adjusting the reed of a golden saxophone during a jazz evening.

Hands playing a digital keyboard during a jazz evening.

Close-up on hands playing the saxophone during a Jazz Chez Fernand evening.

Assortment of mignardises and pink Turkish delight on a slate.

Jazz trio playing in a bar, with saxophone, piano, and double bass.

Dinner and jazz concert in a French bistro with red gingham tablecloths.

Grilled scallops on a bed of lentils and carrots at Fernand's.

Green beans with garlic and walnuts served Chez Fernand.

Chez Fernand
Restaurant des Bistronomes
13 rue Guisarde 75006 Paris
open 7 days a week from 12:00 PM to 2:30 PM and from 7:00 PM to 11:00 PM (midnight Friday and Saturday)
Link to the restaurant’s website

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⇒ All my restaurant reviews in Paris

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Photo credits: Nicolas Diolez
Photos are not royalty-free, photographer authorization mandatory before any use