At Dé 12: a board-game bar that also hosts a role-playing room near Père Lachaise

The old stereotype of a dark, basement-like den is out. Au Dé 12 welcomes enthusiasts and the curious into a spacious, light-filled bar à jeux bright with warm colors. Boasting an impressive ludothèque of more than 700 board games of all kinds, available on self-service, and a room entirely dedicated to role-playing sessions, this establishment just steps from Père Lachaise asks for a 5-euro entry and a drink on arrival, followed by a new payment after 2 hours to keep playing.

• To be read
• This week's top picks in Paris and Île-de-France, September 7–13, 2026

After a life change, Alice, passionate about role-playing and board games since childhood thanks to her grandmother (a family story that spans three generations of enthusiasts of Dungeons & Dragons), s'est associée en famille pour ouvrir ce grand café ludique qu'elle voulait calme et convivial, avec de la place pour tous.

Far from the Parisian bustle, the venue hides soundproofing behind fantasy murals, and aims to be inclusive, in its atmosphere as well as its food menu.

For fans of structured adventures, an entire room is dedicated to role-playing, seating about ten around the table. Soundproofed, it lets you live your epic tale in total tranquility, in a space stocked with miniatures, dice sets, rulebooks and maps—everything you need! Twice a week, it hosts introductory sessions to show the hobby to anyone curious. You can also buy the dice created by the board game bar on site!

We pair our game session with a light snack, whether it’s for the aperitif or simply to avoid spending the evening with an empty stomach! The selection isn’t heavy on alcohol, with a few beers and classic cocktails on offer, but it’s the Potions (7€) non-alcoholic drinks that draw the most attention. Note that food must be ordered if you opt for an alcoholic beverage, for licensing reasons.

We were hooked on Le Baiser, a fruity, tangy creation blending apple juice, cranberry and a popcorn syrup with the flavor of caramelized sweet corn, and on Coup de Foudre, a lemon-and-speculoos indulgence whose taste recalls a cake in liquid form.

Perfect infusions to sip during a session (or several), featuring games that swing from light trivia like Zero to 1000 to resource-management adventures in a dragon-filled world evocative of Flamecraft.

On the food side, the victuals are crafted for every diet. You can savor vegan soft buns (4€) from Land & Monkeys, with tasty pairings like figs and feta, tomatoes and pesto, or bacon and cheese, along with bread spreads (6€) such as a fresh tzatziki, hummus, or eggplant caviar.

Charcuterie and cheese boards round out the snack lineup, which might not be enough for the hungriest to get through the evening, but will surely fill you up.

A selection of pastries is available at the counter for those with a sweet tooth, to be paired with a brew—a tea or an infusion from Les Jardins de Mademoiselle, handmade creations you can also buy. And the place aims to be truly accessible to everyone; even solo visitors can drop by thanks to the open-table concept, which lets you kick off a game with strangers!

Here's one of those spots where you can easily linger for hours, not noticing the time go by!

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.