Under-the-Radar Jazz Spots in Paris: Where to Dine and Hear Live Music
Restaurants, bars, riverboats and themed evenings featuring live jazz performances
Paris is synonymous with jazz. From historic cellars to internationally renowned stages, the city has long cultivated a deep love for the genre. Most visitors and many locals can easily name a few of its iconic jazz clubs.
But jazz in Paris doesn’t only live behind the doors of dedicated venues. It also slips into dinner conversations in intimate restaurants, drifts across candlelit cocktail bars, echoes from riverboats moored along the Seine, and energizes themed evenings in neighborhood spots you might pass every day.
This article focuses on those hybrid, often under-the-radar places where live jazz performances enhance the experience rather than define it entirely. Whether you’re planning an elegant dinner, a relaxed Sunday outing, or a spontaneous night out close to home, these addresses prove that in Paris, jazz can be part of the atmosphere almost anywhere — you just need to know where to look.
1. Le Son de la Terre — A Jazz Riverboat by Notre-Dame
Address: 2 Port de Montebello, 75005 Paris
Moored just beside Notre-Dame Cathedral, Le Son de la Terre is not simply a restaurant with live music — it operates as a true jazz club with a full dining experience.
Guests are seated for dinner, with a thoughtful bistronomic menu and well-crafted cocktails, but the evening is structured around the concert. Once the performance begins, the focus shifts decisively toward the stage. The atmosphere becomes attentive and immersive, reinforcing the venue’s identity as a listening space.
Concerts take place every evening, blending jazz with world music influences, and the quality of the programming attracts a dedicated audience. On Sundays, the live music brunch offers a more relaxed daytime format while maintaining the same artistic standards.
Tip: Book ahead, especially for weekend concerts and Sunday brunch.
Explore their Instagram and website for the full program and upcoming performances.
2. Le Melville — A Jazz Club with a Refined Dining Experience
Address: 28 Rue Jean Mermoz, 75008 Paris
Le Melville is a true jazz club — one where the concert is unquestionably the centerpiece of the evening — yet it also delivers a refined, high-end dining experience.
Guests are seated at elegantly set tables and can enjoy a carefully crafted menu and sophisticated cocktails, but once the performance begins, attention turns entirely to the stage. Conversations soften, lights dim, and the room becomes a dedicated listening space.
This is not background music accompanying dinner. It is a full musical performance paired with gastronomy — a setting where cuisine and jazz coexist at the same level of quality, but where the music ultimately leads.
Tip: Reservations are essential, particularly on weekends. Arrive on time to fully enjoy the performance.
Explore their Instagram and website for the full program and upcoming performances.
3. F-sharp Jazz Bar — Hotel Pont Royal
Address: 7 Rue de Montalembert, 75007 Paris
Discover the world of jazz in the heart of Saint-Germain-des-Prés at the F-Sharp Bar, located inside the elegant Hôtel Pont Royal. Every Monday, Thursday and Saturday from 7:30pm to 10:30pm, singers and musicians bring the bar to life in a cosy atmosphere inspired by post-war jazz clubs.
Once a favorite haunt of literary figures such as Albert Camus and Jean-Paul Sartre after the Second World War, the venue continues its artistic legacy through the renowned Pont Royal Jazz Sessions. Led by drummer Lionel Boccara, a figure on the Paris jazz scene, these evenings promise an authentic and unforgettable musical experience in one of the Left Bank’s most historic settings.
4. Les Deux Magots — Les Jeudis du Jazz
Address: 6 Pl. Saint-Germain des Prés, 75006 Paris
Les Deux Magots is one of Paris’s most iconic café-restaurants, steeped in the literary and artistic history of Saint-Germain-des-Prés since the late 19th century. The legendary venue has long been a favourite of writers, thinkers and creatives, and today it continues to blend its classic café culture with live music.
Every Thursday evening from 7:30 pm to 10:30 pm during the main season, Les Deux Magots hosts its “Jeudis du Jazz” concerts, where a different jazz trio performs live while guests dine or enjoy drinks in the café’s historic interior. The music ranges from classic jazz standards and swing to soul, bossa nova and other jazz-inflected styles, offering a lively yet relaxed soundtrack to the evening. These performances are part of Saint-Germain-des-Prés’s rich jazz tradition and echo the neighbourhood’s post-war musical culture.
In summer months, jazz also spills out onto the terrace with Summer Jazz sessions — instrumental trios and vocal numbers, often from late afternoon into the early evening — creating a festive yet elegant ambience under the Paris sky.
5. 18 Oberkampf — Wine and Jazz in the 11th
Address: 18 Rue Oberkampf, 75011 Paris
In the lively Oberkampf neighborhood, 18 Oberkampf positions itself first as a wine-focused bar, with a strong emphasis on carefully selected bottles and a relaxed dining offer. Guests can settle in for a proper evening — sharing plates, a full meal, or simply a glass (or several) of wine.
Live music adds another layer to the experience. Jazz nights often feature a small trio format, creating an intimate sound that fits naturally within the space. Rather than a formal concert setup, the music accompanies the evening while remaining central enough to draw attentive listeners.
It’s a more understated take on live jazz in Paris: good wine, good food, and a trio playing just a few steps away — ideal for those who want live music woven into dinner without the structure of a dedicated jazz club.
For the latest updates on their wine offerings and live jazz trio nights, check their website.
6. Jazz à la Rhumerie
Address: 166 Boulevard Saint-Germain, 75006 Paris, France
Rediscover live music in a warm, Caribbean-inspired atmosphere at La Rhumerie in Saint-Germain-des-Prés. Every Sunday and Monday from 8:30pm to 10:30pm, the venue fills with the vibrant sounds of Cuban, Latino and jazz rhythms, blending classic jazz standards with boleros and sun-soaked melodies from the Caribbean.
True to its island spirit, La Rhumerie pairs its live music with an exceptional selection of rum from across the Caribbean, creating an ambiance that feels both intimate and uplifting. The atmosphere is heartfelt and welcoming — a place where music, warmth and rhythm come together for evenings that feel both nostalgic and alive.
During jazz nights, a €1 supplement per drink is added to support the musicians and the event.
7. Serpent à Plume — Hot Jazz and Swing in the Heart of Place des Vosges
Address: 24 Place des Vosges, 75003 Paris
Set on one of Paris’s most iconic squares, Serpent à Plume has become a regular meeting point for hot jazz and swing lovers. On Wednesday nights (from 9 pm), the venue alternates between the Serpentine Orchestra, led by Joe Santoni, and other Paris-based ensembles, delivering classic New Orleans influences, early swing, and an infectious, dance-ready energy.
The atmosphere is lively and slightly serendipitous — part cocktail bar, part jazz gathering — with a crowd that comes as much for the music as for the setting.
On Sundays, the mood shifts toward a more relaxed format, often featuring swing and gypsy jazz sessions, sometimes paired with brunch or daytime service. It is a different rhythm, but the same commitment to live performance and classic jazz traditions.
Dinner and drinks are available throughout, yet the music remains central to the experience.
Explore their Instagram and website for the full program and upcoming performances.
8. Non Sense — Swing Nights in Montmartre
Address: via Hôtel La Bohème, 3 Rue du Mont-Cenis, 75018 Paris
Hidden below Place du Tertre, Non Sense occupies a former cabaret cellar that feels worlds away from the crowds above. You enter through Hôtel La Bohème before descending into a dimly lit, intimate space where music and cocktails set the rhythm of the night.
Every Friday from 8:00 pm to 11:30 pm, the Serpentine Orchestra brings classic swing and hot jazz to the stage. The setting is close and immersive, allowing the band’s New Orleans and early swing influences to fill the room with infectious energy.
Beyond the Friday residency, the programming shifts across styles and eras, maintaining the venue’s eclectic, cabaret-inspired identity. Cocktails are central to the experience, and food options ensure the evening can extend well beyond a single set.
Open Wednesday and Sunday until 2 am, and Thursday to Saturday until 4 am. Reservations are made via direct message.
For a Montmartre night that blends live jazz, underground ambiance and late-night cocktail culture, Non Sense stands out as one of the neighborhood’s most atmospheric spots.
Explore their Instagram and website for the full program and upcoming performances.
9. L’Injuste — Sunday New Orleans Jam in Pigalle
Address: 1 Rue Frochot, 75009 Paris
In the heart of Pigalle, L’Injuste hosts one of the most vibrant New Orleans–inspired Sunday jam sessions in Paris. The evening, led by Joe Santoni and musicians from the hot jazz scene, brings together instrumentalists and guests for a late-night session rooted in classic jazz traditions.
The music typically begins around 9 pm and continues late into the night, drawing a mix of devoted swing lovers, night owls, and curious locals. The format is fluid and communal, closer to a gathering than a formal concert, with musicians rotating through the stage.
Cocktails play an essential role in the atmosphere, reinforcing the bar’s identity as both a serious music spot and a Pigalle nightlife address.
For those looking for a Sunday that extends beyond dinner — and into a spirited, New Orleans–style jam — L’Injuste has become a key stop on the Paris hot jazz circuit.
Take a look at their Instagram to experience the mood, the crowd, and the live performances.
Conclusion
In Paris, jazz is not confined to a handful of legendary stages. It drifts across riverboats on the Seine, fills hidden Montmartre cabarets, animates wine bars in the 11th, and comes alive during late-night jam sessions in Pigalle. It can take center stage in a dedicated dining club — or slip naturally into an evening of cocktails and conversation.
It also belongs to the daytime. Sunday brunches accompanied by swing or live jazz have become part of the city’s rhythm, offering a softer, sunlit way to experience the music — whether overlooking the Seine or seated on a terrace in the Marais.
What connects all of these venues is the idea that live jazz enhances the moment. Whether you are planning an elegant dinner, a relaxed neighborhood night out, or a music-filled brunch, Paris offers more ways than ever to weave jazz into your plans.
And this is only a starting point. The scene continues to evolve, with new residencies, jam sessions, and themed evenings appearing across the city. Stay curious, follow the musicians, and you may find that your next favorite jazz address is closer than you think.
