WOS – Wide Open Space Bar

On aime le W.O.S bar pour son côté un peu décalé, une décoration chargée et multiculturelle, une atmosphère très calme l’après-midi et convivial autour des matchs de sport diffusés. Une ambiance anglo-​saxonne qui se ressent, très sympa !

If you don’t speak french, sometimes your out of place meter fills up a bit too quickly here in France. WOS bar is a nice change because it is actually English first. The beers here are decently priced during happy hour and they have a nice selection of whiskies. No pretentiousness here… just a good ‘olé fashioned pub.
4 stars.

Excellent pub mi-​australien, mi-​supporter des Green Bay Packers.
De bonnes bières pression ou bouteilles, une collection impressionnante de whiskies et de spiritueux en général, comprenant de très nombreuses raretés, et un choix de cocktails assez surprenant par sa variété et surtout sa qualité. Bref, l’ambiance est décontractée, mais on boit du sérieux!
Comme de juste, on peut aussi suivre tous les sports les plus courus chez nos amis anglo-​saxons, y célébrer les différentes fêtes de leurs calendriers (Halloween, Thanksgiving, saint Patrick) etc. On écoute de surcroît du très bon rock.
On peut aussi grignoter à toute heure, rien de bien prétentieux mais ça dépanne. Et on peut rapporter des frites de chez le voisin De Clercq, ce qui est très sympathique.

Un bar sympa avec une bonne sélection de bière, du cidre pression (ça c’est cool!) et une collection impressionnante de whisky!
Personnel très sympa avec l’accent qui rend le pub plus typique! Il m’a même fait une boisson hors carte :)
On peut apporter de la nourriture de l’extérieur ce qui nous a permis de manger des burgers du roi de la frite situé juste à côté!
Vraiment sympa!

Personnel exceptionnellement sympathique, courtois, efficace. Ambiance et cadre sympa. C’est possible d’apporter de la nourriture de l’extérieur (notamment le kebab maison de fou au bout de la rue des fossés St-​Jacques que je vous conseille). Ambiance musicale top (rock et pop variée).
Idéal pour se poser

Un vrai pub sympathique comme on les aime. Les barmen sont adorables et l’ambiance et très sympa. L’endroit est cool pour rencontrer des étrangers, surtout des anglo-​saxons.
Les prix sont raisonnables (surtout pour ce quartier !) et le choix est vaste. J’y ai découvert des vodkas délicieuses grâce à un barman super gentil.
Le piano dans la salle est parfois utilisé, ce qui met un ambiance très sympa. Sinon la musique est impec, surtout quand c’est du rock ;)
Parfait pour aller prendre un verre entre potes, moins pour un verre en amoureux.
J’enlève une étoile car l’endroit est parfois un peu sale. Mais bon le Wos Bar reste une de mes adresses préférés le 5ème !

Amazingly friendly staff, chill ampeshere, great music. Visiting from California, wanted to watch the NHL playoffs & they had no hesitations to turn the game on for us at 2am. Good prices, not super crowded on the weekend. Check this place out for sure if you’re visiting Paris & looking for an easy going bar.

I agree with Brian’s review. This bar, despite it’s name, reminds of my favorite, small, hole-​in-​the-​wall bars from college. Sure it’s cramped and nothing fancy but the atmosphere was electric during the Packer’s playoff game. I arrived an hour early and still hardly managed to snag a seat within view of one of their four televisions. It’s bar service only here (no servers) so best to grab two beers immediately upon entry or even a pitcher because, once it gets crowded, it is virtually impossible to move from one end of the bar to the other. Drinks were on the pricy side – I gave € 7.50 for a pint of Guinness. The crowd was mostly 20– and 30-​somethings with some older diehard fans and random study abroad sorority girls mixed in. I would consider going again but the claustrophobic space and lack of servers and a food menu have me curious as to what other options exist for NFL games in Paris.

I happened to pass by this shop on a trip to the nearby Luxembourg gardens. This is definitely an english friendly place as the owners are very fluent in English. If you happen to enter before 8.30pm you can catch their discounted drink special for 6 Euro. These include a negroni, daquiri, iceberg lagoon, margarita, sex on the beach, etc. Cocktails regularly cost 9.50 to 12 Euro. They also have charcuterie and cheese for 13 Euro, though many people brought in food from the nearby fast food chicken place. Decent place for a stop, but I wouldn’t recommend going out of the way for a visit here with so many good cocktail bars nearby.

WOS bar is hands down one of my favorite bars in Paris. I’ve been living in the area for over three years now and WOS has become more and more my go-​to bar. It combines some of my favorite things: fantastic ambiance and staff, amazing and creative cocktails, mouthwatering charcuterie planches and live jazz music…
I’ve also discovered whisky through WOS bar. Now, whisky can be a very intimidating subject, but I participated in Allison’s Ladies Whisky Tasting which was just perfect to initiate me to it properly. She lets you discover the whiskies and then helps explains with incredible patience and friendliness where the whisky is from, how it’s produced and what its particularities are. She then helps you figure out the right vocabulary to express how to describe your taste in whisky and enjoy it elsewhere as well. And what better place to taste whisky than a bar that has so many different choices that are otherwise hard to find elsewhere in Paris?
And then there are the cocktails, oh, the cocktails. every bar has their list of house cocktails (and trust me, this is one is a gooood one) as well as the standard cocktails. But WOS also has Simone. You can tell him what you like and don’t like and he will figure out the perfect cocktail for you with a big smile on his face, even if it’s not in the menu.
I also largely appreciate the fact that I, who does not like beer, can come here with my friends who prefer it to cocktails or fine spirits, and and everyone can easily find something for their taste buds. Simone, Allison, Kat or Duncan will find the right thing.
Which brings me to my last point: the staff. Always friendly and welcoming. Unlike other places, even when it’s busy, they will never make you feel like they’re annoyed with your presence. Always a genuine smile. Always friendly.
Anyways, long story short, this place is awesome and you should stop hesitating and reading reviews online and just experience it for yourself. Chances are that you will have a good time :)

My favorite place I went in Paris. Prices are better than any bar I went to and so were the drinks!

When I moved to Paris at 24, WOS bar was just what I was looking for– someplace with a good happy hour, a fun, international 20-​something crowd, a cheerful ambiance and a pub that’s open til the wee hours. Six years later, I’ve returned to find that all of these characteristic traits have remained, yet, like me, WOS has grown up.
What first struck me was not only the increased quantity, but the quality of the spirits offered. They’ve always had a nice selection, yet they’ve truly matured into a fine spirits pub… without all the routine scornful Parisian snobbery.
They now have a lovely list of cocktails, each inventive, and purposefully concocted. Everyone seems to love the Dankowsky Breakfast, sweet and citrusy– super tasty. Being a whisky lover, I first gravitated toward the Dirty Blonde– mixed with ginger liqueur, honey and lemon; how could I resist? Simple, honest, balanced. However, daring to step out of the box, I went for something a bit more exotic. And not ‘umbrella toothpick in a piña colada on a beach in Fiji’ exotic, but rather ‘rare, uncharted territory meets exquisite’ exotic. Enter: the Gincel Martini. I’m not a fan of gin. It has a tendency to remind me of drinking a christmas tree, and anyway I think I might be allergic to it. But when it mingles with fresh lime juice, a hint of vanilla and Eau-​de-​Vie of Wild Celery ((a delicate, refreshing and exotic (definition-​b) liqueur which I’m told is extremely hard to come by, as they only make something like 150 bottles of it per year)), I say pass me the EPI pen, I’m goin’ in.
Did I mention I like whisky? Well good for me and good for you too, if you’re in my club. Literally. In my club. WOS has a whisky tasting club, and, wait for it, a ladies only tasting club (!). Only they’re not whisky tasting clubs, they’re spirits tasting clubs, and as WOS has around 450 spirits, including more than 100 whiskys, we’re not likely going to be tasting your everyday alcohols.
They have now introduced planches. The quality and freshness is remarkable. Pierre has a personal relationship with the farmers cooperative (and many of the wine producers too btw, having been to almost all of the vineyards to selects the wines himself), who delivers the cheese straight from Auvergne and Cantal to WOS’s doorstep. Ask him about these lovely fermier cheeses– he loves to talk about them, especially about the cheese which comes from a milk that is only produced if the calf is standing by the mama cow. Awwwwww, talk about made with love!
They don’t have their own kitchen but in addition to having planches, they also take advantage of the fantastic artisanal pâtissier across the street and offer both chocolate shots (it’s the edible glass that’s made of chocolate mmmmm) and occasionally WOS matches their sublime cocktails with the equally sublime offerings (both sweet an savory) from Pâtissier Bön for their «gastronomy and spirits» night.
All of this, and the best part is– they still have happy hour, they still have themed nights, they still have live music, they still have their trademark warm, fun, welcoming atmosphere; they’ve just grown up with the rest of us. WOS is, as ever, my home away from home when I’m in Paris.

Bar trouvé un peu au hasard, nous avons décidé avec une amie d’y mettre les pieds afin de nous reposer après de longues heures de marche dans la capitale. Dès l’entrée, accueil chaleureux d’un bel anglais barbu et souriant, nous choisissons rapidement deux Carlsberg bien fraîches et profitons du calme (il n’était que 15h!) (25cL 4,30 € il me semble)
Par la suite, quelques habitués apparemment amis du bel anglais ont fait leur entrée et ont mis une ambiance sympathique comme je les aime, avec rires et discussions effrénées.
J’ai ensuite commandé un Sex On The Beach absolument merveilleux, que j’ai siroté avec plaisir. (Dans les 9 – 10 €)
Nous sommes en tout restées 3h30 dans ce bar à discuter, le serveur/​barman/​patron? nous a enchanté les oreilles avec du Bowie, Rolling Stones, Queen… J’aime !
Je retournerai dans ce bar pour sûr, même si les prix sont légèrement élevés (mais j’ai vu pire!)

Decent place with a friendly staff if you’re looking for an Anglo language haven or a spot to watch a Packers game. Most people in Paris aren’t, but eh, for that percent of a percent, this is the place! Prices a bit steep for the hood and for the quality of the beer (e.g. low). Really merits a 2.5.

GB Packers!!!
Good folks and can grab an American football game with some live music. Gets a bit crowded but I’d say that’s a good thing during a game. They also show up to three games at a time. Stop by and check it out if you’re craving AM Football!

Want to catch an NFL game while in Paris? Look no further. As someone else mentioned, there are no open spaces at WOS, it’s quite small but that doesn’t really bother me. It’s a bit pricey too, the cheapest beer was € 6, but hey, you’re in Paris and sports bars showing NFL games are few and far between.

Nice staff, beer was good. The name is very misleading because there is nothing Wide Open about this Space. Very small joint. Glad they got NFL on the flatscreens but if you are claustrophobic, beware.

Bön bar à deux pas du panthéon. Large choix de cocktails et très bonne musique.
L’ambiance est un peu trop sombre et le service au bar est obligatoire :/​.
A essayer entre potes !

Fun place. Beer is good. Was there 4 nights out of 6 — caught some NFL games on the Sunday night. Bar staff are great! Live music was really good too.

Bön bar, bières originales et accueil sympa.

Une équipe sympa et un cadre très anglo-​saxon: ce bar est très fréquenté par des jeunes américains de Paris. C’est vide bondé mais ça vaut le coup
Parfois on tombe sur un concert.
Le plus :
Une carte de bières du monde entier !

If you are a Green Bay Packers fan, this place is a must. The owner is a huge Packers fan and airs the Packers games every Sunday. He also shows two other NFL games while the Packers are playing, so depending on who you root for, you may be able to find your team. Airing NFL games isn’t the only thing this little gem has going for it, it features live music on Sunday nights and various theme nights (although I wasn’t able to take part in any of them). Pierre, the owner, and Matthew, the manager, are so friendly and make you feel at home. And the free wifi is a plus!

Pub très sympathique. Le choix de bières est peut-​être moins original (guiness, kilkenny, kronenbourg et carlsberg) que le Bombardier de l’autre côté de l’avenue qui propose de la vraie Ale, mais eux au moins ont le WI-​FI… et gratuit en plus!
Happy hour à prix pas exceptionnels (5 euros la pinte) mais extensible (16h — 21h).
Il est même possible d’y manger des toasts, des hot-​dogs et des chips. De quoi d’autre peut-​on avoir besoin?
Grand choix de whisk (e)ys également à prix classique pour Paris (10 euros en moyenne).
Et puis, le service est en V. O et est très aimable!
Un bon pub près du Luxembourg très commonwealth dans l’esprit.
P.S: Ouvert jusqu’à 5h du matin! Live music on Sundays!

Answer: English-​speakers. Theme parties. Sports broadcasts. Cheap drinks. Hell, free drinks if you’re willing to donate some lingerie to the bar. Awesome bar staff. Tiny seating areas. Tinier toilets. National flags. Friendly, inebriated patrons. Guilty-​pleasure types of music. A (typically packed) full bar housing some of the most fun people Paris doesn’t usually cater to.
What is WOS, Alex?
Damn, it feels good to be an ex-​pat.

Pub irlandais sympa avec la bonne ambiance pub, les bruits et les cris comme on aime! Situé dans une des rues perpendiculaires à la rue Soufflot, pas loin du Panthéon! C’était pour la saint Patrick! La pinte était à un prix raisonnable. Il donne envie d’y retourner!

I haven’t looked, but I wonder how many reviews of bars in foreign cities are written by former study abroaders reminiscing about their expat student days of fun and freedom. Not sure, but here’s one.
W.O.S. Bar, formerly known as Aussie Bar, was my stomping grounds all through spring semester ’08. Mainly because most of my friends and I lived and studied in the 5ème (that would be the 5^th district/​Latin Quarter, for all you Yanks), so we were all within safe walking distance if we had a little too much fun there. But this place is just so homey and laid-​back, and Pierre, the owner, is trop charmant.
I have countless bittersweet memories of W.O.S… playing «Spoof» with a bunch of Welsh dudes, including a Welsh version of McDreamy; my friend’s 21^st birthday celebration, at which we all pounded way too many tequila shots and took bar naps, someone stole an avocado from the market across the street, and the birthday girl realized (many times, all night) she could now buy beer at a gas station; my last night in Paris, when Pierre finally found out that I could speak near-​fluent French all along. Oh, and those disgusting bathrooms.
That said, I never felt judged there for being a loud, obnoxious American student traveling with a pack of even louder, more obnoxious, more American students. It’s a very unpretentious place, which is sometimes hard to find in the city of lights (even though I’ll say Parisians aren’t rude, as a rule).
Now I get frequent messages from W.O.S. on Facebook about all their theme parties and sports-​watching events and each time it makes me pleurer des rivières because I’m too broke to go back right now. I miss you W.O.S. Bar! :’(

Très bon pub en plein cœur du quartier latin.
Live music toute la soirée, large choix de boissons alcoolisées ou non et a prix magique: p
Ambiance anglo-​saxonne assurée.
Les bartenders très gentils et bonus … On trouve du jaggerbomb !!!
Dommage que ce soit petit … Mais ce petit pub en vaut le détour …

Un Pub typiquement Anglo-​Saxon comme on en trouve de moins en moins à Paris.
Le lieu idéal s’il vous prend l’envie de vous plonger dans une ambiance propre à nos voisins d’outré manche, et dans laquelle la bière est reine.
D’ailleurs, vous disposerez à ce sujet d’un choix assez conséquent…
La fréquentation est assez jeune, du fait de la proximité du quartier Saint-​Michel/​Sorbonne occupé par les nombreuses facs.
Le lieu idéal pour suivre les matchs de la coupe du monde dans une ambiance dépaysante (même s’il est un peu trop tard maintenant… !)

Previously called Café Aussie this bar is now owned by a French guy but still retains an expat pub feel.
The bar is nice and recently renovated and a fun place to hang out but the toilets are still a little sketchy. The clientele is mixed but tends to be a younger crowd due to the proximity to the universities. It can be rowdy if you happen to be there when one of the endless bar crawls turns up.
Everything aside, I love this bar for the Japanese cocktail made from sake, lime and lemonade served with cucumber chopsticks. I think the owner is very proud of this cocktail too as he likes to explain the cucumber (I will let you find out!).