I discovered l’Anecdote at the end of 2015, a few months after its opening. Not particularly attracted by its location, I went there first because it was a new venue for the Marcello Song System (still organised here every second Thursday, from 20:30 to 00:00), to which I am addicted.
And I was lucky to discover this new place: cheap beers (happy hour until 22:00), friendly staff, mixed clients, it is a very nice place to chill when you have time to, either along the counter and its daily newspapers, or at a table, along the shelves where you can find and borrow the numerous books (and a few games – cards, dice…) of the bar.
At lunchtime, L’Anecdote becomes a very good restaurant with a daily changing menu offering about 3 options per course (of which at least a vegetarian dish in each course!). It also serves a selection of simpler dishes at dinner, like platters of cheese or cold meat, beetroot hummus or baked camembert…
L’Anecdote is also very art-oriented, with regular concerts (mostly French ”chanson”), open mic sessions (called “scènes ouvertes”, next will be the 15th February), art exhibitions, poetry slam sessions (next: February 12th) and a monthly pub quiz every first Tuesday of the month.
If you go there, an extra tip is to have a look to the very cute rue Crémieux, one of the most charming unexpected streets of Paris (1 min walk towards Gare de Lyon), which has unfortunately become a “must-see” for Instagrammers…