After showering you with glitzy soirées at Le Baron, providing you with a prime pre-mating setting at Hôtel Amour and nourishing you with Bentos at Nanashi, La Clique is now unleashing Le Fantôme, for your paranormal pleasure.

And out of the norm it is because if by chance, you end up strolling down the rue de Paradis and find your curiosity aroused by the nondescript entrance to a place that exudes an 80s-style ambiance counteracted with futuristic déco, you will be pleasantly surprised to discover what lies inside.

A sincere smile, for starters, from the band of friendly servers — amateur actors, musicians and artists — all buddies of Afif, the manager, who has garnered enough experience at a handful of La Clique’s hotspots to get to where he is now. He’s also part of the New Age Paris restauration scheme that favors Anglo-saxon friendless over the typical “je m’en foutisme” attitude, so you won’t be complaining about snobby or apathetic service here.

 
Instagrams: mhcestmoi & pascalfromparis

Part resto, part bar, part arcade, Le Fantôme might be the only place where you can eat pizza Al Taglio, accompanied by draft beer, wine or house cocktails, while playing 50-cent pinball or PacMan, among others, and still be surrounded by hip 20- to 30-somethings looking to blow off some steam.

Expect nothing but the best from renowned graphic artist and designer Laurent Fetis. He’s created a distinct forward-looking feel that blends seamlessly with the retrogeeky trinkets interspersed throughout. The wrap-around bar and open kitchen are fitting modern touches.

 
Instagrams: morgane_walther & laura_lz

So if you’re sticking around town in August and in need of some amusement before you go stir crazy and dive into the Seine, here’s a list of reasons to hit up Le Fantôme and ditch your Parisian ennui :

-You’re starving. It’s too hot to cook or you’re feeling lazy : Go there for pizza or high-quality finger foods. Burgers will soon be available in beef, chicken, fish and veggie versions to appease all appetites. Order a salad or tapas if you’re feeling something light, or dig into some fresh burrata — nature,  la truffe or fumé au jambon. Cupcakes, milkshakes and cookies are also on the horizon.

-You have to spend some quality time with G-ma and G-pa, but Sunday brunch sounds agonizing when you’re trying to nurse your hangover from the night before : Take them to Le Fantôme for some boozy Bingo (still a work in progress, but it’s part of the master plan). Well, they can play, so you won’t have to talk much, and you can continue boozing to test out the theory that a beer the next day keeps your hangover away.

Instagrams: raf_tx & benjaminnetter

-You’ve been holed up in your apartment for too long thanks to PPD, or post-party depression, and you need a place to study, waste time on Facebook or just chill, in order to feel like you did something more productive that day than get delivery food : It’s an ideal place for hanging out at any of the booths or tables, which are nicely spread out so you have plenty of space. When you need a break, you can get up and play some games — it’s like home away from home.

-You need a place to take that hot chick or cool guy you just met, but you don’t want to pick somewhere too cheesy, too loud, or too expensive : What better place for a first date than one that’s completely relaxed, stocked with arcade games to break the ice/minimize awkward moments and offers food and drinks at prices reasonable enough to justify not getting lucky at the end of the night?

Or — if you just want to avoid the grim reaper of boredom paying you a visit during the dead month of August, set aside your fears of the unknown and give Le Fantôme a try, otherwise it might come and haunt you in your dreams.

Plans for a basement boîte in the near future? To be continued…

Le Fantôme
36 rue de Paradis Paris 75010
Métro : Poissonière, Château d’Eau, Cadet
Open til 2 am
Phone : 09 66 87 11 20
Facebook Page

Instagrams: tendaysinparis & mhcestmoi

Article : Stéphanie Holmes