Shawn W.
Yelp
We loved Dirty Dick. A block or two from the Boulevard de Clichy in Pigalle. If you don't look carefully you walk right by it. Great luck with the Zombie (en feu!). Very strong. The Painkiller was good, too, but a far lighter weight drink. Clubby atmosphere and music, and very cozy, not particularly retro.
Mixed reviews I see about the bartenders: when we went, they were African (or Caribbean) emigres' and competent and efficient. I ordered in French, and they had no problem with me, though replying in English. Not for nothing, they were also very macho and not obsequious. It surprises me not at all that they don't tolerate being bossed or ordered around--or feeling as if they are--and would require a "s'il vous plait" or "merci," which are valuable phrases, if not essential, to the Paris travel toolkit (along with "bon jour"/"bon soir," "Madame"/"Monseur"). Paris is a personal favorite of mine, but the officious Parisian stereotype--which is simply pridefulness--exists for a reason and honorifics cut through much of it. "Hey, fix me an Old Fashioned" ça ne va pas.
For tiki drink connoisseurs, know that subject to customs limits/creative packing, Martinique rum and absenthe in varieties you can't find in the U.S. are more affordable and easy to find in grocery stores, such as Monoprix. There is a Monoprix very near the Les Halles Metro. Martinique rum is an essential ingredient to a Mai Tai, selection of which is limited in the U.S.