Midnight Express: the discreet bar car that sails across three continents, between cocktails and bites.

Just a stone's throw from the Invalides, Minuit Express hides away, a cocktail bar and spirits shop born from a fascination with the golden age of legendary trains. Conceived as a genuine imaginary travel company, the venue unveils an intimate setting where warm velvet mingles with elegant lacquered woods and vintage details scattered here and there.

Each space is conceived as a nocturnal layover during the crossing, inviting guests to embark on a tasting odyssey spanning three continents.

• To be read
• Top picks of the week: October 19–25, 2026 in Paris and Île-de-France

With an entrance that resembles a vintage wagon, the bar sits in the extension of the boutique hotel Le Bourdonnais, whose vibe sits close to the Jazz Age. The space, private and plush, lends itself best to whispered confidences during a intimate head-to-head in discreet alcoves rather than the boisterous chatter of large groups of friends.

The menu unfolds into three iconic destinations: Europe of the Grand Tour Express, America of the Panamerican Express, and Asia of the Moonlight Express. Corentin, the day’s barman on this remarkable train, executes creations shaped by Mahdi Provost that pair with the shareable plates signed by chef Khalid Mansour, in his backlit wagon-bar.

And the journey lives up to its promise when it comes to cocktails (16 to 18€), with drinks built around spirits typical of the chosen stops, at prices that won’t shock just steps from the Tour Eiffel.

We travel to Asia with the Litchi Spritz, built around Shōchū, the Japanese spirit, and the delicate fruit native to China, delivering an intensely fragrant profile with a pleasantly sharp hint of bitterness.

We chase the American dream with the Paloma, a cocktail built on restrained acidity where the bitterness of pink grapefruit and the brightness of lime come through in balanced harmony around a tequila infused with corn flakes.

Note that a thoughtfully crafted mocktail (€13) is also available for each region, for those who want to hop on board without drinking alcohol! On the shareable plates side, the options stay true to their respective continents, though they may resemble more conventional menus, with no extraordinary originality.

We start with crisp fries (8€) given a Cajun-chip twist, or six melt-in-the-mouth vegetable gyozas. To take a quick tour of Europe, we also choose the pistachio burrata (14€), refreshingly fresh and luxuriously creamy, before finishing on a sweeter note with the apricot panna cotta (12€) and its luscious berry confiture, admired for its light, almost pillow-soft texture and a subtle sweetness.

We step out of this stationary carriage with the sense that we’ve just had a drink in a immersive décor that evokes the Orient Express—a ticket to a timeless interlude, a journey that stays in Paris!

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.