Café chantant (French: lit. “Singing café”) is a type of musical establishment associated with the
belle époque in France. Although there is much overlap of definition with
cabaret,
music hall,
vaudeville, etc. the
café chantant was originally an outdoor café where small groups of performers performed popular music for the public. The music was generally lighthearted, sometimes risqué, even bawdy but, as opposed to the cabaret tradition, not particularly political or confrontational.