The Filmmakers' Bistro: the discreet address tucked behind a Paris cinema

Fade to the bar

At the Bistrot des Cinéastes, there’s no password to whisper or secret library to spin a dial. The only code you need is where to look: push open the cinema door, walk the lobby, spot the discreet staircase under the neon BAR, and head up. That small ritual is all it takes to turn an ordinary evening into a story you’ll be telling the next day.

The venue’s history only adds to its charm: before it became a cinema, these walls housed Père Lathuille’s cabaret, immortalized by Manet. A century later, the cabaret spirit has never really left these walls.

A cinema-worthy setting, cocktails that live up to it

Dreamlike mural frescoes, a marble counter, vintage furnishings, and soft lighting: the Bistrot des Cinéastes cultivates a retro-chic aesthetic that sits somewhere between Méliès’ cinema and Paris in the Roaring Twenties. A décor so cinematic it has already doubled as the backdrop for film shoots and ad campaigns.

But it's at the bar where the real action happens. The house bets on signature cocktails—crafted as true creations to be savored in an atmosphere that builds in intensity as the night goes on. DJ sets, blind tastings and live karaoke regularly punctuate the afterworks, while regulars stake out the back-corner sofa, a cozy haven for evenings that linger.

A globe-trotting menu to nibble on or share

On the menu, you can dip into a selection of small plates to share — chicken-vegetable gyoza, beef tataki with Thai sauce, hummus with za’atar, Thai lemongrass sausages — or treat yourself to generous tapas (19-month-aged sow ham, chorizo, lomito) or truffle Gouda. The hungriest guests will reach for the house-made pizzettas to nibble on at any hour of the evening.

The go-to HQ for pre-premiere evenings

Perched above an arthouse cinema, the Bistrot des Cinéastes has, without breaking a sweat, become the go-to gathering spot for premiere crowds. Directors, actors and cinephiles cross paths there after screenings to prolong the night with a drink, in an atmosphere where the film carries on, even after the screen goes dark.

Face B, the monthly DJ night on the first Thursday of the month

On the first Thursday of every month, from 7 p.m. to midnight, Bistrot des Cinéastes stages Face B, a DJ night conceived as the shift from day to night. Behind the decks, a sharp, curated selection sets the mood for the first signature cocktails, before the atmosphere tightens as the hours pass. Next date: Thursday, October 1, for an evening as intimate as it is rhythmic, just steps from Place de Clichy.

Exclusive private hire for an evening that truly stands out

From 20 to 80 guests, the venue can be fully privatized for tailor-made cocktail-dinner packages. An option that appeals as much to companies seeking an afterwork that breaks the mold as to groups of friends planning a memorable birthday, all set in a space that few Parisians are aware of.

Alcohol abuse is dangerous for your health, please drink responsibly.