Legendary bar in the 11th arrondissement, a longtime hub of the indie scene for 18 years that helped launch Feu! Chatterton and Clara Luciani, the Motel has closed. In its place rises Superfine, the new dive bar that has opened with fanfare. But what exactly is a dive bar?
In the United States, dive bars are the quintessential neighborhood joints—part popular dives, part eclectic hangouts, and accessible to everyone. With that spirit in mind, Superfine has taken up residence in the Motel’s space, after taking the time to revamp the place from floor to ceiling.
Out go the heavy velvet curtains, making way for expansive floor-to-ceiling windows, a transparent kitchen, and 110m2 to buzz from happy hour through the night. At the front, a space perfect for hosting large groups or for intimate dinners. In the back, the main room centers around a magnificent central bar where you can watch the bartenders bustle with flair.
Open Wednesday to Sunday from 4 p.m. to 2 a.m., Superfine is the brainchild of a top quartet well-versed in Paris’s day and night life: the duo Vincent Pinceloup (at the helm of the bar Monsieur Antoine) and Etienne Gatti, joined by Delphine Laguerre in the kitchen (former founder of Kern and Sando Club) and Raphaël Blanc at the bar (ex-head barman of the Ducasse group).
In the glass, a wide range of drinks, with cocktails built on house infusions and ferments, mocktails, characterful beers on tap and others in cans, and a selection of natural wines. The cocktail menu is distinctive for being organized by the time of day, starting with the "breakfast" section and its creamy, dairy-forward cocktails, epitomized by the PB&B Milkshake cocktail (whiskey, peanut butter, vanilla, banana, smoked cream; 14€).
In the evening, classic cocktails (cosmo, mojito) are deftly twisted. And between the two, these carefully crafted drinks come off as more sophisticated and bolder than the usual fare, such as the cocktail Abstinthe Gimlet (absinthe, white amaretto, yellow lemon, cordial of yellow and green lemons, sage; 14€) and the cocktail Butter Not Texture (gin, barley shochu, quinquina, buckwheat, Clementine butternut cordial, lemon aquafaba, soda; 14€).
The house’s must-try, the Not a Bloody Mary cocktail (mezcal, pineapple, celery, harissa, dashi, lemon, soy; €14), is served in two stages — the liquid on one side and the solid on the other — with the cocktail’s bite-sized components on the side to nibble, so you can nudge the temperature up or down at will.
On the kitchen side, Superfine also nails it with a concise but top-notch street-food lineup: 6 savory dishes, 2 sweet ones, including a chicken hot dog with grated cheddar and Guinness gravy (€13) and a generous plate of ragù pasta (€15) made from beef cheek braised at low temperature.
Where the Motel used to be famed for its blistering indie-rock nights, Superfine now leans into a schedule of DJ sets several nights a week, letting you dance until dawn... with a nice drink in hand!
Alcohol abuse is dangerous for your health, please drink responsibly.
This test was conducted as part of a professional invitation. If your experience differs from ours, please let us know.
Dates and Opening Time
Next days
Wednesday:
from 06:00 p.m. to 02:00 a.m.
Thursday:
from 06:00 p.m. to 02:00 a.m.
Friday:
from 06:00 p.m. to 02:00 a.m.
Saturday:
from 04:00 p.m. to 02:00 a.m.
Sunday:
from 04:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m.
Location
Superfine
8 Passage Josset
75011 Paris 11
Official website
www.instagram.com
