When it comes to eccentric bars and thinking out of the box, Le Marais’ Le Mezcaleria definitely takes the cake. Not only is the bar a speakeasy, but also has a killer drinks menu inspired by sexuality, personality, and BDSM kinks. 

In our chat with Mickael Kernoa, Bar Manager at Le Mezcaleria, he shared with us the essence of the bar, and how the drinks are breaking boundaries and giving drinkers a new experience. 

What inspired you to get into bartending?

Taste of lust and curisoity. 

According to you, what are some of the most important skills for a bartender to have?

Humor, kindness, and a strong work ethic. A good bartender should be hardworking. 

What’s one essential piece of barware everyone should have at home?

A set of shots and a bottle of mezcal. 

Mickael Kernoa, Bar Manager at Le Mezcaleria

What’s your favorite cocktail to make?

I love making the Dirty Honeyyy, which is one of our best sellers. It is made with Mezcal, Pineau des Charentes, H.Théoria Cuir Lointain, Pu'erh Tea, and Honey bitter.

What are some of your favorite places to drink at when you’re not working?

Hotel Bachaumont, Serpent à plumes, and La Malicia Paris.

The funniest story you heard behind the bar?

This is more of a joke I would say. It goes like, there’s a blind guy who walks into a bar, and then into a table, and then into a chair….

Le Mezcaleria

What has been your most bizarre client request?

Well, this wasn’t a client request as such, but it was definitely one of the weirdest things I’ve been asked. Someone once asked me the size of my feet!

What are some of your favorite TV shows/movies?

Hands down The Big Lebowsky.

What was the inspiration behind Le Mezcaleria?

We love mezcal, and it’s definitely taking the industry by storm. So the main inspiration behind Le Mezcaleria was to introduce mezcal to a broader audience, and more agave spirits. 

The drinks menu at Le Mezcaleria definitely stands out. So tell us a little bit about the inspiration behind the drinks menu.

The menu is all about colors and sexuality. As you know, we are located in Le Marais, which is one of the city’s most lively and free-spirited neighborhoods. Our bar is very colorful, so we chose to take a more sexual and sensitive turn on things. We aim to reflect a colorful atmosphere in our cocktail menu. 

For our menu, we worked with a body painting artist, and we chose three aspects for each color: personality, sexuality, and BDSM kinks. Each page of our menu is represented by a fully painted model with the description of the cocktail on the side. 

Our team matched the flavors and ingredients of the cocktails with the emotion each color represents. For example, Sneaky Daddy is the Yellow one. It’s a tiki-style, vibrant cocktail that reminds you of a sunny afternoon at the beach. 

Le Mezcaleria drinks menu

So how do we navigate through the menu?

You can choose a cocktail by looking at the pictures of the models, the kinky descriptions, or the cocktail descriptions. It all depends on what you’re looking for and the mood you’re in. 

What are some of the drinks trends you’re seeing in Paris right now?

Low ABV is a major one. There’s also a lot of talk around sustainability. And another trend that is becoming big is unusual spirits. 

Lastly, what are you drinking right now?

Our craft beer, "Pinche Mamon", a Hibiscus IPA.