17 Cowboys
MUSIC HALL/LONG BAR
98B Tran Hung Dao, Hoan Kiem
Tel: 3942 6822
www.seventeencowboys.com
5pm to 12am
Cowgirls, lasers, belly dancing and Filipino bands who never shy away from a good Guns N' Roses cover. Drinks are a little pricey, but part of the money is going to the show. Expect a lively atmosphere and the band will take requests, but 1980s rock tunes are favoured.
Amazon Bar
TOURIST BAR/CLUB
32 Luong Ngoc Quyen, Hoan Kiem
This newcomer to Ta Hien’s Bia Hoi Junction is an Aztec-themed three story drinking hole and dance space. Balcony on the second floor, which provides a great view over the beer drinkers below, and dance space on the third floor. CDJs and a promise of dubstep and drink specials on the board outside are bound to go down well among the area’s party massive.
Bamboo Bar
CLASSIC FRENCH
Sofitel Metopole Legend Hotel, 15 Ngo Quyen, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3826 6919
7am to 10pm
Set up like a traditional colonial-era bar space with dark wooden plank flooring, bamboo roofing, wicker chairs and hand-held fan crafted ceiling fans, both during the day and at night there is a relaxed, timeless ambience here. The drinks focus here is on Martini-based and classic cocktails with a huge wine list and aged spirits also making an appearance. Also a great place for a morning or afternoon coffee.
Bar Betta
RETRO CAFÉ BAR
34C Cao Ba Quat, Ba Dinh, Tel: 3734 9134
haimtc@gmail.com
8am to midnight
This bar is every bit as quirky as the Czech moped it’s named after. Inside every surface is festooned with a medley of objects ranging from gramaphones to retro TVs. The rooftop terrace is an awesome place for a sundowner or a morning coffee. Eclectic and like nothing else in Hanoi.
Café Blue Note
LOUNGE BAR
61A Luong Ngoc Quyen, Hoan Kiem
Located on the upstairs portion of Mix III lounge and café, Blue Note features dimly lit, blue lighting and a balcony area that overlooks the streets of the Old Quarter. The interior is decorated with elegant red, velvet chairs and photographs of vintage jazz artists along the walls—giving the place a vintage, musical feel to accompany your conversations. The bar is a promising small venue, equipped with a small stage and piano.
Cama ATK
MUSIC & ARTS BAR
73A Mai Hac De, Hai Ba Trung
Tel: 01262 054970
Wednesday to Saturday, 6pm to midnight
With well-poured drinks, a foosball table, no smoking and a midnight closing time, CAMA ATK knows exactly what it wants to be — and that’s refreshing. The space is a part time venue for smaller acts and DJs. The venue is hip, comfortable and will likely provide the serious drinker with a reliable place to pull up a stool and take pulls in a relaxed haven.
Cheeky Quarter
LATE NIGHT LOCAL
1 Ta Hien, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 0904 032829
8pm to late
Last building on the right before Hang Buom, this popular with the French (and everyone else) watering hole is a classic. Has the same Old Quarter vibe; small, cosy and personal with funky twists – and an awesome logo. Spread over two floors with good tunes, drinks specials and a foosball table, Cheeky is open till late. Also does tasty paninis into the early hours.
Dragonfly
DANCEHALL LOUNGE
15 Hang Buom, Hoan Kiem
93 Phung Hung, Hoan Kiem
Tel: 4926 2177
11am — late
One of the better venues in the Old Quarter for dancing on the weekends. Although crammed into a small space, cheap drinks and a mix of chart chits makes Dragonfly the regular go-to for younger Vietnamese crowds, tourists and the foreign resident looking to get up on the dance floor. If you don’t feel like dancing, relax upstairs with shisha and friends with one of the two lounges on the second floor. The sister venue on Phung Hung has a bigger menu and an earlier opening hour (11am instead of 6pm) but still keeps with the shisha, pool table and dance floor combo so popular on Hang Buom.
EZ Rider
POOL HALL / LIVE MUSIC / CLUB
55 Ma May, Hoan Kiem
Tel: 3935 1788
8am to midnight
A potential gem in the heart of the Old Quarter. While it’s themed to the Easy Rider vibe out front, this huge two-storey venue is a jack of all trades – it has a bar, live music stage, pool tables, hookahs, a VIP room and a night club with a decent sound set up. Ideal for private functions and party promoters. Club stays open till late.
FatCat Bar
DJ / LATE NIGHT JOINT
25 Ta Hien, Hoan Kiem Tel: 5333 6087
www.linkhanoi.com
4pm to late
Straddling Bia Hoi Corner and the cobblestoned end of Ta Hien, FatCat Bar is a small establishment from the minds behind the party and event organisers, LinkHanoi. The bar has tables filling the first floor and spilling onto the sidewalk as well as a small loft area for lounging. Nightly cocktail specials, reasonable bottles deals starting at VND500,000 and a DJ on the decks make up the mix.
Flow Bar
DANCEHALL/BAR
61 Luong Ngoc Quyen, Hoan Kiem
5pm to late
Previously known as Dracula Bar, this watering hole tucked upstairs behind a hotel is around the corner from Ta Hien. A double-sided bar splits up a pool table space, lounge area and dance floor. The smoke machine can be a bit much, but the music is a decent mix of pop and house. Never crowded and open late, free shots are given out every hour on the hour.
Funky Buddha
ELECTRO LOUNGE
2 Ta Hien, Hoan Kiem
8pm to late
Owned by the people behind Face Club, the low, LED-lit venue has the feel of a VIP room situated in a larger club, only it's not. While techno and trance are the genre's of choice spun in the establishment by live DJs, patrons treat the space more like a lounge than a dancehall and typically order bottle service and cocktails. One of the Ta Hien mainstays.
Hair of the Dog
LATE NIGHT LOCAL / LOUNGE
32 Ma May, Hoan Kiem
10am to late
In the same building as the old Bucket Bar, Hair of the Dog, the first floor offers a large drinking space, graphic artwork, sidewalk seating and a dance floor. Up the spiral staircase, there’s the late-night bar and shisha lounge complete with beanbags. Drawing in a mix of expats, backpackers and locals, when the bars across the street shut down, the mayhem continues in ‘The Dog’.
Half Man Half Noodle
LATE DIVE BAR
62 Dao Duy Tu, Hoan Kiem
Tel: 3926 1943
3pm to late
Often a bit dark and somewhat gloomy, “The Noodle” is still a hit with long term residents. With its all-hour eating options — ranging from cheese toasties and pizzas to grilled cod and bun cha — and its popular happy hour, this Old Quarter old-timer is still up there with the options. Between 11pm and 12.30am, local beers go for VND15,000 and mixers go for VND30,000. Friendly staff and talkative patrons included.
Hanoi Rock City
LIVE MUSIC VENUE
27/52 To Ngoc Van, Tay Ho
Tel: 01887 487 426
www.hanoirockcity.com
5pm to midnight
With a downstairs, English-style pub garden area and an upstairs space dedicated to live music and live production, Hanoi Rock City is the only venue in the capital of its kind. Has weekly live events featuring bands both from Vietnam and overseas — established and up and coming. Email jimihendrix@hanoirockcity.com for more information or check out their page on Facebook.
Ho Guom Xanh Club
STAGE AND TABLE CLUB
32 Le Thai To, Tel: 3828 8806
8pm to 11.45pm
Just a few yards from the banks of Hoan Kiem Lake, this giant pantheon of a nightclub seems more at home in Bangkok than in the capital. With DJs, go-go dancers and an ear splitting sound system, Ho Guom Xanh is a great place to ‘dance’ around a table, if you’re willing, while enjoying expensive top shelf bottle service in the heart of the city.
House of Son Tinh
LIQUOR LOUNGE
31 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho
Tel: 3718 6377
www.sontinh.com
8am to 11.30pm
As part of the Highway 4 group, which now has its offices in the establishment’s upstairs areas, this bar-cum-restaurant outfitted with comfortable, stylish furnishings is famed for its luxurious rice wine liquors and newly created cocktail class. Does regular events on the first floor and also has a creative Vietnamese food menu based on cuisine sold at other restaurants in the chain.
Irish Wolfhound
IRISH PUB
4 Luong Ngoc Quyen, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 2212 6821
www.irishwolfhoundpub.com
8am to 2am
The open-air watering hole with seating on the pavement is a great spot to enjoy a tall dark stout or light pilsner at anytime, day or night. What it lacks in gaudy decorations, it makes up for with a constant stream of regulars, occasional live Irish music and billiards on the third floor. Has a decent food menu and even better pizzas.
La Fée Verte
FRENCH-STYLE CONTEMPORARY
Hotel de l’Opera, 29 Trang Tien, Hoan Kiem
Tel: 6282 5555
lafeeverte@hoteldelopera.com
7am to 2am
Meaning the green fairy — an allusion to the hallucinatory effects of absinthe which was drunk extensively in colonial Vietnam — understated lighting, a laid-back lounge atmosphere, a good music selection and ultra-contemporary interior design make up the mix at this downstairs bar in Hotel de l’Opera. Expect a good selection of creative cocktails and an extensive wine list. Opens late with a DJ taking to the decks on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.
Long Play Café
LATE NIGHT LOCAL
9B Bao Khanh, Hoan Kiem
Tel: 0914 339439
lpcafe@yahoo.com.vn
9am to late
This quirky bar and living room gets busiest in the later hours. Down in the bar, plasma screens and an iPod station mix with a dance floor and comically named cocktails. Upstairs, there’s a cushioned living room — a pleasant space with a low ceiling and shisha. Throw in a dartboard, “sell and swap” book shelves, Jenga and some tasty toasted sandwiches, and it can be hours of fun. The dried buffalo “nosh” from Tay Bac in the north is a must.
Mao’s Red Lounge
LOUNGE AND BAR
7 Ta Hien, Hoan Kiem
Tel: 3926 3104
5am to 2am
One of the few staple bars in the city that hosts an equal number of ex-pats, locals and tourists. With cheap drinks, funky, slightly ethnic decor and one of the most amiable owners in town, Mao's is always a great place to start off or finish the night. Sing-a-longs and dancing welcome at one of the most popular drinking spots on Ta Hien.
May Pub
LAID-BACK FIX
2 Nam Ngu, Hoan Kiem
Tel: 0917 897630
nemoover@gmail.com
A curving neon sign marks the small entrance to May Pub, which stands on the corner of Nam Ngu and Phan Boi Chau. The pub hosts a laid-back bar atmosphere with old Hollywood photographs, free billiards and darts and low-key live music. The menu combines traditional cocktails with offerings like Russian string cheese — a late-night brew and dairy fix. Wednesday and Friday nights are Buy One Get One Free for ladies.
Model Club
CATWALK BAR
45 Hang Bai, Hoan Kiem
8pm to late
Lasers, pulsating trance, bottle service and nightly model shows. This venue is largely filled with flashy Vietnamese youngsters or older business types flashing their wads. Bottle service is a must, which is a little pricey, so if you ain't got enough money then you probably won't be sticking around to see the honeys.
Phuc Tan
ELECTRO GRUNGE CLUB
51 / 4A Phuc Tan, Hoan Kiem
6pm to late
Hanoi's favourite after hours dancehall/trance den. Throw shapes on either of the two floors that have regular DJs while dancing to rapacious electronic beats or enjoy the Red River's breeze and snack on a kebab as you catch up with all of the city's regular night owls. The terrace out back has great views of Long Bien Bridge at night.
Play Bar
GAMING LOUNGE
104 Bach Dang, Hoan Kiem
Tel: 0621 0212
huongnmd@gmail.com
9am to midnight
If you’re looking for a more active night out, this gaming lounge has it all. White leather sofas, and plasma screens hooked up to Xbox 360 Kinect, Playstation 3 Move etc and more. Challenge your friends to games while enjoying a western-style food menu and a decent selection of beverages. When you get a little too competitive, you can cool down in the lounge area and gear up for your next big win.
Pilsner Urquell
EUROPEAN BREW HALL
10 Nguyen Bieu, Ba Dinh. Tel: 3734 2288
Modeled after a brewery, bar and bowling alley in the Czech Republic, Pilsner Urquell has an old Europe feel — particularly in the private rooms lined with glass beer mugs, thick cuts of dark wood furniture and semi-circular booths. With the UN-meeting-of-a-menu, customers can choose from goose dishes, noodles, fried apples, an assortment of cheeses and several other options. Perfect location for big gatherings.
Polite Pub
LONG BAR
5 Bao Khanh, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 3825 0959
5pm to 2am
A bit musty and jaded, despite being one of the oldest pubs in the city, this staple watering hole on Bao Khanh continues to be a hit. Probably the closest thing Hanoi has to an authentic English-style pub, Polite is frequented by a steady mix of locals and expats who find solace in the nightly conversations at the long bar, billiards and live football matches.
Q Pub
BOTTLE BASED DANCE CLUB
61 Luong Ngoc Quyen, Hoan Kiem
Tel: 0915 381180. qbuphanoi@gmail.com
A glitzy, spacious basement club tucked away in the corner where Luong Ngoc Quyen meets Hang Giay. It’s a laser, mirrors and disco ball affair with high tables, hostesses, bottles of whiskey and a DJ — usually playing a mixture of trance and house. Runs a number of spirits offers on different days of the week. Ask for details.
Red River Tea Room
LAKESIDE WATERING HOLE
25 Duong Ven Ho Tay, Tay Ho
Monday to Friday, 2pm to 11.30pm. Weekends open from 11am
Located on the lakeside road just below Xuan Dieu and close to the entrance to The Sheraton, this quiet, casual pub offers up a variety of beer, wine and mixed drinks, juice, tea, Nespresso coffee and espresso and milkshakes, all with a nice view of West Lake. Non-smoking indoors, Red River Tea Room is a welcome addition to the area.
Roots
REGGAE CHILLOUT BAR
2 Luong Ngoc Quyen, Hoan Kiem
www.rootsbar-hanoi.blogspot.com
5pm to late
With a reggae theme, the French-run Roots stays open late playing African and Caribbean music with some salsa thrown in for good measure. Laid back vibes. A good, late-night, Old Quarter option set on a first floor. The entrance is next to the Irish Wolfhound.
Spy Bar
HOLE IN THE WALL / IRISH
12A Nguyen Huu Huan, Hoan Kiem
Tel: 2269 1107
Fronted by the affable Sean, and with Guinness, Jameson’s and a surprising amount of draught beer flowing from the taps, since its inauguration the tiny Spy Bar has managed to create a dedicated following despite its tiny size. With pictures of spies dotting the wall (both Vietnamese and international) and food delivery available from three restaurants, this is a great place to chill and shoot some well-deserved, Chuong Duong Bridge breeze.
Summit Lounge
ROOFTOP LOUNGE BAR
20th Floor, Sofitel Plaza, 1 Thanh Nien, Ba Dinh
Tel: 3823 8888 ext. 5314
4pm to Midnight Sunday to Wednesday, 4pm to 2am Thursday to Saturday
While there are a few ‘rooftop bars’ in the capital, few hold a candle to the view on offer at the Summit Lounge. With a chilled but lively ambience, top shelf cocktails, and a Southeast Asian fusion bar menu, the Summit Lounge is a great place to pitch yourself above the madness and peer down at the chaos below in peace. Sunsets are particularly special.
Tadioto
12 Truong Han Sieu, Ba Trieu
Leftfield, Indochine, contemporary and artsy, all thrown into one, the latest incarnation of Tadioto rolls together café, bar and gallery. Always with an attractive ambience and friendly service, a garden out back adds a nice touch to the space inside.
Temple Bar
DANCEFLOOR / LONG BAR
8 Hang Buom, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 6675 7908
7pm to 2am
A relative newcomer and an instant favourite, located in party mile, Temple Bar is a good choice for late night fun. The long, thin establishment is a bar out front with decks and some tiles out back – usually hosting electro pop DJs or sets from the likes of Link Hanoi. Has drinks specials most days and is guaranteed to be crammed at the weekend. Popular among locals, expats and tourists.
Tay Tap
MEET-UP SPOT
100 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho
Tel: 3718 6917
www.taytap.com
4pm to late
Filled with wooden furnishings and a downstairs bar with two beers on tap — as well as wine, cocktails and spirits on the shelves — this newcomer venue has a grill menu catering to the tastes of both East and West. For those in search of a good old-fashioned Sloppy Joe or grilled cheese, you’ll be glad to know the kitchen is stocked to the ceiling with comfort foods.
Tet Bar
LATE NIGHT LOCAL
2A Ta Hien, Hoan Kiem
Tel: 3926 3050
6pm to 5am
This small and personal one-and-a-half floor bar starts to get busy at around 11pm and is popular with expats of all nationalities, despite having a French flavour. Run by the indomitable Thanh and once called Le Maquis, the Tet Bar these days has a slightly cluttered feel to it, but nonetheless continues to pull in the punters. Open very, very late.
The Spot
LOUNGE BAR / TERRACE
47 Hang Be, Hoan Kiem.
Tel: 3935 1874
8am to midnight
A stone's throw from Ta Hien, this bar-cum-lounge-cum-restaurant has all of the atmosphere present in bars scattered throughout the Old Quarter without being a dive. Enjoy a mixed drink, tacos or a Vietnamese staple starter with the occasional live DJ breaking out classic funk, soul and hip hop in the comfortable furnishings or on the back patio.
Tracy’s Pub and Grill
SPORTS BAR/GRILL
40 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho
Tel: 6675 9838
www.tracyspub.com
11am to 12am
This Canadian-run, miniscule sports bar on the main drag of Xuan Dieu is perpetually crowded with regulars drinking out front on plastic stools. Notorious for its mouth-watering burgers, cooked fresh to order, Tracy’s is most famous for their draft beers, claiming to serve the coldest draft beer in Hanoi, and always in a frosted mug. For those missing their dose of North American sports, they play all day via satellite on two plasmas.
Tunnel Bar
INTERNATIONAL / FRENCH
11B Bao Khanh, Hoan Kiem
Tel: 0936 063303
www.tunnel-bar-hanoi.com
4pm to late
Slim but stylish two-storey bar located just at the bend on Bao Khanh. The friendly staff can make a range of well-made and colourful cocktails. Frequent DJ nights and parties are commonplace at this watering hole that caters to both foreign and Vietnamese. Does an excellent happy hour with specials on Ricard.
Wine’s Corner
WINE AND CIGAR LOUNGE
2 Le Phung Hieu, Hoan Kiem
Tel: 3939 3477
9am to 1am
The ambience at the relaxed wine bar near the Metropole screams red wine — the walls are painted a warm yellow, the exposed brick adds a touch of cool and the wine barrels-turned-tables are tasteful. Too bad it’s often awkwardly empty. Features fine wines, cigars and Vietnamese and international snacks.
