The bar that rewrote the rules of Paris nightlife, hidden behind a taqueria in the upper Marais. You walk through a door at the back of a tiny Mexican restaurant — past the cooks assembling tacos, past the narrow counter where people are eating elote — and step into a low-lit cocktail bar that has been shaping the city's drinking culture since 2011. Carina Soto Velasquez and the team built something that did not exist in Paris before Candelaria: a place where mezcal, tequila, and Latin American spirits met French cocktail technique in a room small enough that the bartenders could hear your conversation. The drinks are agave-forward, technically precise, and changed constantly by a kitchen of bartenders who have since gone on to open their own places across the city. The taqueria in front is not a gimmick — the tacos are genuinely good, which means the queue often starts before the cocktail bar even opens.
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Start with tacos in the front room — the al pastor and the carnitas are both excellent and the elote is the correct accompaniment. Then move through the back door for cocktails. The mezcal-based drinks are the house strength: the Margarita variations and anything with agave spirits will be better here than anywhere else in the city. The menu rotates seasonally but the bartenders know what they are doing — describe what you like and let them guide you. If you see anything with homemade tepache or fermented ingredients, order it.
Arrive at the taqueria at 7pm for tacos before the cocktail bar fills. The back room gets crowded by 9pm on weekends and stays that way until close. Weekday evenings between 7-9pm offer the best ratio of atmosphere to space. Thursday through Saturday are the nights when the room has the most energy, but also the most competition for standing room. The taqueria operates independently and is worth visiting even if the bar is full.
The taqueria is the entrance — walk through to the unmarked door at the back. The cocktail bar is standing room only, no reservations, and genuinely small. Arrive early or be prepared to wait. The Marais location on Rue de Saintonge puts you in the heart of the Haut-Marais gallery district. Candelaria's alumni have opened bars across Paris, making this the unofficial training ground for the city's cocktail scene. Cards accepted. The tacos are cash-friendly priced; the cocktails are standard Paris bar pricing at €14-18.