Harry’s New York Bar

Harry's New York Bar opened in 1911 on Rue Daunou, between the Opéra and the Place Vendôme. It began as the New York Bar, set up by an American jockey with the help of a Manhattan bar owner, who had the interior shipped over from New York. In 1923 the Scottish bartender Harry MacElhone bought it and added his name, and it has been run by his family ever since. The phonetic address Sank Roo Doe Noo, which the bar used in advertisements for English-speaking visitors, is part of its legend.

The bar is long, narrow and panelled in dark mahogany, with college pennants, photographs and memorabilia covering the walls. Over the decades its customers are said to have included Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald and many American visitors in Paris, and the bar is long said to be the birthplace of several classic cocktails, including the Bloody Mary, the French 75, the Sidecar and the Monkey Gland. Ordering one of these is the obvious choice, and the bartenders, in white jackets, prepare them in the traditional way. Downstairs, a piano bar adds live music on some evenings.

Harry's suits cocktail enthusiasts, history lovers and visitors who enjoy old-fashioned bars rather than modern concept venues. It is a place for a drink before dinner or the theatre, or a nightcap after an evening at the Opéra. The atmosphere is busier and louder later in the evening, and the bar fills with regulars, Americans abroad and curious visitors.

Prices are in the upper range for Paris, reflecting the location and history. The bar does not need a booking for a drink, but it can be crowded at peak times, so arrive in the early evening for a better chance of a seat at the bar. Allow an hour for a couple of drinks. Dress is smart casual. Opening times are best checked directly before visiting.

The bar is a short walk from Opéra station on metro lines 3, 7 and 8, and from Pyramides on lines 7 and 14. The Palais Garnier, the Place Vendôme, the Ritz and the department stores of Boulevard Haussmann are all within ten minutes on foot, so Harry's fits easily into an evening in the Opéra district.