Soces

It’s unclear why more restaurants haven’t thought to pair oysters with a margarita shooter, but it’s definitely the best way to begin a meal at this popular new restaurant up near Parc des Buttes Chaumont. Tourists rarely come up this far, so expect to find fashionable locals—dates, families, friend groups—gathering on the later side for a dinner of small, seasonal plates that are predominantly sea-based. 

Service is friendly and attentive, and the cuisine ranges from simple plates like bulots with mayonnaise to more creative dishes, like whole mackerel doused in tandoori sauce and served with a broccoli puree and sliced kumquats. With exposed stone walls, a lone candlestick on each table, and a ‘90s throwback soundtrack featuring “I Think We’re Alone Now” and “Dancing in the Dark,” eating here is as much about the fun, feel-good ambiance as it is the food itself.