The NIGHTLIFE SCENERY in Hanoi is just pleasantly surprising. People from Ho Chi Minh City will tell you that Hanoi is a conservative town with unfriendly people, a curfew at midnight and a suffocating weather during summer time... ok ok.... but NOT.In fact, I found barely any differences between the two cities, and particularly at night. Even Saigon still one of the Top 3 party destination in Southeast Asia, Hanoi is not far behind and it's changing fast, very fast.The hundreds of bars, clubs, lounges, spas and karaokes in Hanoi range from extremely basic (4 walls and a stool) to world-class sophisticated venues. You'll rarely pay an entrance fee for any nightclubs and the drinks are usually cheap, even in the more upmarket spots. People are everywhere, from young backpackers to crazy-hot Vietnamese.A new wave of cocktail bars, craft beer tap rooms and clubs are shaking up Hanoi's hard-earned reputation for dullness by night.The capital's drink and dance offerings have been revived with a loosening of official restrictions and a spate of new openings.
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| The surprising Nightlife scenery begin in the street of Hanoi |
If you're not up for exploring, you could hang out around the beer drinkers and clubbers along Ta Hien and Luong Ngoc Quyen streets in the Old Quarter.→ The West Lake is where expats and trendy Vietnamese party. It is naturally more expensive and the crowd is older.→ The Historical Center, from Hoàn Kiếm Lake down to Tran Hung Dao street, is a posh area, particularly around the Opera House. You'll find mostly bars and clubs targeting rich Vietnamese/tourists.
The best nightlife is found around the Old Quarter and in the West Lake expat enclave around 15 minutes by cab from downtown.To make things simple, I would say there are 3 major nightlife areas in Hanoi.→ The Old Quarter is where most backpackers, tourists and Vietnamese students hang out. It is cheap, cramped and messy.
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💯1-BINH MINH'S JAZZ CLUB: Hanoi, French Quarter, Hoan Kiem District
A legendary nightlife spot in Hanoi French Quarter, Binh Minh’s Jazz Club is the place to catch live music performances by some of the finest jazz musicians in the city. It was established back in 1998 by pioneering Vietnamese jazz artist Quyen Van Minh, who has performed across the world. Exuding an intimate yet welcoming ambience, Binh Minh’s Jazz Club features minimal décor, cosy seats, warm lighting, and efficient service while the menu comprises classic cocktails, imported beers, whiskies, and coffee, as well as a selection of western and Vietnamese delicacies.
With plenty of trees surrounding its premise, Binh Minh's Jazz Club is great for escaping the bustling cityscape though most come here for the live jazz which takes place between 21:00 and 23:30 every night. Drinks at Binh Minh’s Jazz Club are pricier compared to most bars in Hanoi, starting from VND 65,000 onwards. However, many patrons would agree that the prices are more than fair due to the quality of the live entertainment and lack of cover charge.
Binh Minh’s Jazz Club is set behind Hanoi Opera House along Trang Tien Street, just a five-minute walk from the luxurious Hotel de l’Opera Hanoi. Prominent attractions such as Hoan Kiem Lake, National Museum of Vietnamese History and Museum of the Vietnamese Revolution are also within walking distance from the jazz bar.
Opening Hours: Daily 08:00 - 24:00 Address: 1 Trang Tien Street, French Quarter, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi Tel: +84 43 942 0400
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💯2-THE BANK Hanoi, 6th Floor, Capital Bulding, 41 Hai Ba Trung,
Attracting a well-dressed crowd of locals, expats and tourists, its music policy comprises hip-hop, top 40 hits, lounge, deep house, and house tunes while drinks here are relatively inexpensive compared to most nightclubs in Hanoi. Cocktails are priced between VND 150,000 and VND 200,000 while Budweiser and Corona cost approximately VND 120,000.
Opening Hours: Daily 20:45 – 00:45 Tel: +84 94 490 3232
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💯3-WHISKEY MYSTICS & MEN BARNgo 12, Dang Thai Mai, Quang An, Tay Ho, Hanoi (West Lake area).
The same regular band belts out a selection of classic 60s and 70s covers. It’s a fun show. W2M may be new, but it has that distinctive, smoky, old-school Hanoi feel. Drinks are reasonable, smoke can be an issue.
It can be a good mix of expats and locals. There are several other knockabout bars nearby on Dang Thai Mai too.
It can be a good mix of expats and locals. There are several other knockabout bars nearby on Dang Thai Mai too.
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💯4-HERO NIGHTCLUB42 Yên Phụ To, Quận Ba Đình, Hanoi. Phone number: +84 98 926 4242
Not so different from other venues scattering the city, Hero, on Yen Phu Street, emerges as the only place danceable until 3, sometimes 4, in the morning. Clients kicked out of obedient clubs flock here to waste the last piece of sobriety in them. With all the cages, poles and a... dance floor, what else can one ask for?
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💯5-1900 LE THEATRE8 Ta Hien St, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi (Old Quarter - near beer corner). Phone number: +84 91 111 19 00
1900 is now officially the hottest club in the capital, with the space in front of the DJ being the closest to what we call a dance floor, filled with clubbers no matter the day.
Nice design, good vibe, dope clientele and civilized music are the things to be expected here. And you're heading to the Old Quarter anyway, so there's no harm trying.
it closes early at 1AM (by 00.30AM they'll already stop selling drinks). You can go around 11PM, after drinking from the cheaper pubs nearby.
it closes early at 1AM (by 00.30AM they'll already stop selling drinks). You can go around 11PM, after drinking from the cheaper pubs nearby.
Opening Hours:
Every day until 1AM
Every day until 1AM
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💯6-SAVAGE NIGHTCLUB (Hanoi)- Techno Music112 Xuan Dieu, Ho Tay, Hanoi. Phone number: +84 4 6686 6150
Savage is quite difficult to find as their outside sign is almost invisible. In fact, I had to look around for 10 minutes before I finally heard some music coming from a basement. As I was walking down the stairs, I was still unsure if I was in a club or in someone's house. To avoid wasting time, make sure you save their location on Google Maps: Savage Hanoi.
At the beginning of the night, Savage was more of a lounge/bar with great cocktails (around VND130,000 each but they had a promo Buy 1 Get 1 Free) and a relaxed vibe. The music was not too loud and it was easy to talk to other people, especially at the bar.
After 1AM, the sound got louder and people started dancing. Some moved from the lounge to a small "dark" room. This is Hanoi's version of an underground club. The two foreign DJs played techno/tech-house but this is likely to change depending on the schedule. What is for sure is that you won't hear commercial EDM/Hip-hop/House. The sound system could not be better (Funktion One, the standard among the best nightclubs in the world).
The club does not close until 4AM or 5AM. This makes Savage the best late-night club in Hanoi (apart from dodgy bars like Tom's). Note that their door policy is that you cannot enter after 2.30AM. Gay-friendly nights once a month.
Overall: If you enjoy quality electronic music, you won't find a better nightclub than Savage in Hanoi. Very recommended.
Opening Hours:
Everyday from 7PM to very late.
Everyday from 7PM to very late.
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💯7-CAMELIA LOUNGE & CLUBMélia Hotel44B Ly Thuong Kiet, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi 100000. Phone number: 093 969 32 23
It has a free entrance, but be warned that the drinks are quite expensive. The cheapest cocktails cost VND183,000 Net 
US$8), a bottle of Jack Daniels almost 130$ and a bottle Champagne at least 140$.
US$8), a bottle of Jack Daniels almost 130$ and a bottle Champagne at least 140$.
Camelia is built on 1 floor, with 4 distinct areas (all connected to each other): A restaurant, a large central bar, a lounge and an outdoor terrace. It has a quirky design, with plenty of small, fun details. One of the best features is the pop art mosaic of 90's icons (Uma Thurman in Pulp Fiction among others).
It is managed by a Brazilian DJ (Alexandre Gavinha AKA DJ Gavinha). I saw that he is still playing at least twice a week. When I visited, the music was an eclectic mix of different genres from hip-hop to deep house. People were not dancing but it was the perfect soundtrack to enjoy cocktails. Every 2 weeks, they also welcome famous foreign DJs (from labels such as Ministry of Sound, Cafe Del Mar, etc).
Almost all customers were well-dressed Asians, Vietnamese as far as I could tell. They were sitting in sofas within small groups, sharing a bottle and sometimes a shisha.
Operating Hours:
Open every day until 2AM.
Fantastic ladies' night on Wednesdays with free flow sparkling wines (red and white) from 9PM to midnight.
Open every day until 2AM.
Fantastic ladies' night on Wednesdays with free flow sparkling wines (red and white) from 9PM to midnight.
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