Montmartre
You'll find any number of cozy cafã©s and other drinking establishments all around the butte montmartre in the 18th, especially check out rue des abbesses near the mã©tro station of the same name.
The Marais
The marais has a large number of trendier new bars mostly in the 4th and to a lesser extent the 3rd with a few old charmers tossed into the mix. a number of bars and restaurants in the marais have a decidedly gay crowd, but are usually perfectly friendly to straights as well. some seem to be more specifically aimed at up-and-coming hetero singles.
Bastille
There is a very active nightlife zone just to the northeast of place de bastille centered around rue de lappe, rue de la roquette, rue du faubourg saint-antoine especially the amazing club barrio latino and rue de charonne in the 11th. many of the bars closest to bastille have either a north, central, or south american theme, with a couple of aussie places mixed in for good measure, and as you continue up rue de charonne the cafã©s have more of a traditionally french but grungy feeling.
Châtelet
In some ways the marais starts here in the 1st between les halles and hã´tel de ville but with between all of the tourists and the venerable jazz clubs on rue des lombards the area deserves some special attention.
Canal St Martin
Many cozy cafã©s and other drinking establishments abound around the canal st martin in the 10th.
Rue Mouffetard and environs
The area in the 5th on the south side of the hill topped by the panthã©on has a little bit of everything for the nighthawk, from the classy cafã©s of place de la contrescarpe to an irish-american dive bar just down the way to a hip, nearly hidden jazz cafã© at the bottom of the hill.
The bars scene in Paris really does have something for everyone. From bars which serve drinks in baby bottles, to ultra luxe clubs that require some name dropping, or card black Amex showing, and clubs where you can dance like no one's watching, although they will be. To start your night out right, grab a drink or two in a ubiquitous dive bar, before burning up the dance floor and spreading some cash, at one of the trendy clubs.
Quartier Latin - Odeon
If you're looking for the nouvelle vague new wave style, student and intellectual atmosphere of paris in the 60s and 70s, you'll find a lot of that and more hip + chique places in the quartier latin and between place odeon and the seine. the neighborhood is also home of many small artsy cinemas showing non-mainstream films and classics check 'pariscope' or 'l'officiel du spectacle' at any newspaper stand for the weekly programme.
Oberkampf-Ménilmontant
If you are wondering where to find the hipsters bobos for bohemian-bourgeois, then this is where to look. there are several clusters of grungy-hip bars all along rue oberkampf in the 11th, and stretching well into the 20th up the hill on rue de mã©nilmontant. it's almost like being in san francisco's haight-fillmore district.
Bagnolet
There are a cluster of bar/restaurant/nightclubs along the southern end of the pã¨re lachaise cemetery in the 20th including probably the best place in paris for nightly local and touring punk rock.
Rues des Dames-Batignolles
Another good place to find the grungy-chic crowd is the northern end of the 17th around rue des dames and rue des batignolles, and if you decide you want something a little different montmartre is just around the corner.
Port de Tolbiac
This previously deserted stretch of the river seine in the 13th was re-born as a center for nightlife and sunday-afternoon-life a few years ago when an electronic music cooperative opened the batofar. nowadays there are a number of boats moored along the same quai, including a boat with a caribbean theme, and one with an indian restaurant.
Saint Germain des Prés
This area has two of the most famous cafã©s in the world: cafã© de flore and les deux magots, both catering to the tourists and the snobs who can afford their high prices. this part of the 6th is where the parisian cafã© scene really started, and there still are hundreds of places to pull up to a table, order a glass, and discuss sartre deep into the evening.
For individual bar listings see the various Arrondissement pages under Get around.
Of course there are lots of interesting places which are sort of off on their own outside of these clusters, including a few like the Hemingway Bar at the Ritz which are not to be missed in a serious roundup of Parisian drinking, so check out the listings even in those arrondissements we haven't mentioned above.
Some nightclubs in Paris that are worth it: Folies Pigalle pl. Pigalle, 18th, very trashy, â¬20, Rex Club near one of the oldest cinemas on earth, the Grand Rex, house/electro, about â¬15. You might also want to try Cabaret Palais Royal, Maison Blanche, le Baron M Alma-Marceau. Remember when going out to dress to impress, you are in Paris! Torn clothing and sneakers are not accepted. The better you look, the more likely you will get past the random decisions of club bouncers. Also important to remember if male or in a group of guys that it will be more difficult to enter clubs; try to always have an equal male/female ratio.