Historic for a host of reasons, Harry’s New York Bar is one of the capital’s prestigious century-old establishments. For the personalities who have been there, the cocktails being invented there and for its resistance to the test of time, the address in the heart of Paris ticks all the boxes of the ancestral spot. We let you discover it.
An ancestral bar in the heart of Paris
As a symbol, Harry’s Bar was inaugurated on November 26, 1911, Thanksgiving Day. Installed rue Daunou in the 2nd arrondissement, it was directly imported from New York and 7th avenue, where it was dismantled and then reassembled identically in Paris. It doesn’t get more authentic! Toad Sloan, a former American jockey, chooses the radical solution of moving his New York bar to Paris as Prohibition approaches. Thus was born the New York Bar in the heart of Paris.
The years passed and the establishment found equal success among Parisians and American expatriates and tourists. A pioneer, the boss imported Coca-Cola into Paris and made his bar the first to sell the sweet nectar in France. In 1923, the bar changed hands and name, since the new owner Harry Mac Elhone put his first name on the front. A prosperous period followed for Harry’s New York Bar, where all of Paris at the time met. In a joyful and friendly spirit, the legend of the troquet is forged, very famous for its cocktails. Because yes, the bartenders of the New York Bar can officially boast of having created the Bloody Mary, the French 75 or even the Blue Lagoon throughout history. A reputation that will also attract big names, like Ernest Hemingway, Coco Chanel, Rita Hayworth, Humphrey Bogart or the Duke of Windsor.
Today, the tradition continues and the ancestral heritage of the place is still felt. Of course, it is always possible to enjoy a good cocktail there, from the great classics that have made the legend of the bar to more original creations. Harry’s New York Bar also stands out for its selection of whiskeys, of which there are 350 references! Seated at the counter, or in the small piano bar, you will find what you are looking for whatever happens in this historic place in Paris!
Harry’s New York Bar – 5 rue Daunou – 75005
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