La Mercerie, the bistro and bar on rue Oberkampf

In the Rue Oberkampf, there are bound to be good and not-so-good addresses, but there are also sure-fire values like La Mercerie. La Mercerie bar now doubles as a restaurant serving classic French cuisine.

La Mercerie on rue Oberkampf isn't exactly the place to buy fabric scraps, pretty buttons and knitting wool. Rather, it's the kind of place where you come to have an aperitif with friends, and now to eat classic French cuisine, since the bar has been doubled with a real restaurant space, sober and vintage.

The atmosphere at La Mercerie is that of a neighborhood bistro: everyone knows or recognizes each other, hugs or greets each other, and the atmosphere is as festive as it is convivial.

Food-wise, the restaurant's menu is simple and to the point: 6 starters, 5 main courses, 3 salads, 3 burgers and 4 desserts. All this at very affordable prices, even minis-minis, as in the case of the starters.

On the subject of starters, we were tempted by the eggs mayonnaise (3.5€), a classic we love to have in restaurants and which didn't disappoint, and the roast camembert (5.5€), topped with a little honey and thyme, the perfect starter to ease into the winter evenings.

Thereafter, the choice of dishes was tough, from boeuf bourguignon with baby vegetables and steamed potatoes (11.5€), Toulouse sausage and mashed potatoes (12.5€) to beef tartare with home fries (14.5€).

And let's not forget the salads and, above all, the burgers, which really caught our eye. Between the classic cheese (13.5€) and the chicken crispy (13.5€), we didn't know which way to turn.

In the end, we opted for the veal blanquette and basmati rice with mushrooms and carrots (12.5€), very well done; and for the California burger (beef, 7-month aged cheddar, avocado, bacon, pickled onions, barbecue sauce; 14.5€), a good, generous burger with home fries.

To round off this hearty meal, we end on a sweet note with a caramelized crème brulée (4.5€) and two beautiful slices of French toast (4.5€) topped with a dash of salted butter caramel.

We accompany this feast with a Spritz (8€) and a Moscow mule (8€) to get you back on your feet. Because at La Mercerie, the party goes on until 5am from Thursday to Saturday.

The kitchen, meanwhile, is open until 2am on weekends. All in all, a great deal for party-goers and gourmets in search of simple, good food!