Smarties Bar in central Nice is one of those lounge type bars where you can arrive and hang out with friends on the spur of the moment and enjoy your evening.
Having opened in Nice just over two years ago, this neighborhood lounge bar is just far enough away from the tourist track to where you feel you are truly amongst the locals in the community.
Getting to Smarties Bar is easy. Take the tram to Place Garibaldi and get off at Garibaldi Station. From there, walk back into the square but go right to continue past the Monoprix.
Once out of the square, cross avenue Saint-Sébastien and continue down the street past the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (MAMAC) where you will approach avenue Saint-Jean-Baptiste.
Cross that avenue and you are now on rue Defly. Walk about half a block and you will see Smarties Bar at: 10 rue Defly.
Approaching Smarties Bar, and depending on the season, they might have their sidewalk terrace set up. In the evenings the crowd from inside the bar easily slips out on to the street to continue to mingle about.
Walking into Smarties Bar, you’ll notice the décor is very funky, like a retro/deco 70’s lounge, with just a touch of disco added to it, yet with a modern twist.
The place isn’t huge, I would say it holds about 75 people but I don’t think a true lounge should be massive when it’s set up properly and the size certainly doesn’t seem to be hurting business.
Here you can feel free to get a drink from the bar to your right, with general seating either at the bar itself or around the lounge. If you walk further back and step down a few stairs, this will lead you into another area with sofas and other seating perfect for having a drink while conversing with friends.
The music is the big draw here too, the owners always seem to find the right DJ for the mix, the music isn’t overpowering to the scene, and actually it’s just the perfect ambiance to set the tone throughout the evening. You’ll hear everything from deep house, chill lounge, and techno to electro.
And the Smarties Bar staff are the best. They are quick, courteous and very interested in meeting people that have just come to Smarties Bar for the first time.
Smarties Bar is open Tuesday to Sunday from 5pm-12:30am.
Photos © Smarties Bar
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