Le Syndicat

"At Le Syndicat, you’ll never forget you’re in France, since this bar in the 10th only serves French spirits, mixers, herbs, and juices. There’s also no pretense, no fancy seating, or wall decorations—there’s not even a sign from the outside. But in a bold decorating move, copper centimes and various types of currency are stuck to the ceiling. The low lighting can pose a bit of a problem when you’re trying to read the drink menu, but just sit at the bar and chat with the bartender about your favorite spirit and they'll do the rest. " - tanisha townsend

"At Le Syndicat, you’ll never forget you’re in France, since this bar in the 10th only serves French spirits, mixers, herbs, and juices. There’s also no pretense, no fancy seating, or wall decorations—there’s not even a sign from the outside. But in a bold decorating move, there are copper centimes and various types of currency stuck to the ceiling. The low lighting can pose a bit of a problem when you’re trying to read the drink menu, but just sit at the bar and chat with the bartender about your favorite spirit and they'll do the rest." - Tanisha Townsend

"The outside of this bar is so nondescript—with graffiti and posters covering the doors, which are devoid of any signage—you may walk right past it. But once inside you'll feel as if you've entered a recording studio circa 1977. There's an unfinished, raw feeling—from exposed sheetrock on the walls to the sound proofing on the ceiling to the gold curtains sectioning the small space. The focus is on drinks made exclusively from French spirits and liqueurs. Case in point: on one visit, the bar was serving "Drop the Beet," made with Normandy Calvados, beet purée, honey syrup, and fresh lemon juice (it's super beet-y and practically a meal in itself!) and the "Saix en Provence" made with brandy from Armagnac, spicy watermelon syrup, and lavender essence." - Sara Lieberman

"Le Syndicat in Paris, a regular on The World's 50 Best Bars list, has become known for serving cocktails made with unexpected ingredients, including cheese. Their cocktail 'Gettin' Milky with Nut' is a combination of Roquefort, curry, gin, milk, and walnut vinegar. The bar is also known for its patriotic mission of exclusively serving drinks made from French spirits and liqueurs." - Alexandra Owens

"A Local's Guide to Paris: A French Speakeasy Oh god, I love this place. The co-owner and head bartender, Sullivan Doh, makes cocktails with classic French spirits such as cognac or armagnac, which have become popular outside of France, and yet French people know very little about them. Le Syndicat looks like a vacant space—the outside it’s deliberately covered with posters and advertisements—but then you go inside and the bar has this gilded, mysterious, semi-industrial vibe. I usually ask them to surprise me; most recently I tried a gin and tonic gussied up with bonal, a bitter fortified wine, instead of gin, and a house-made tonic. This appeared in the January/February 2017 issue."