Music & Nightlife

A warm boho atmosphere and extremely friendly staff. For all the Irish beer lovers, Guinness is available, there's also free WiFi, and they host regular themed nights. Thur: salsa, Fri: karaoke, Sat: live bands.

In the heart of Monot, Chocolate Club by JOJO will offer dance fanatics more than ever. Wed: RnB with DJs Base, Moe, Eli and Will. Fri-Sat: DJ JOJO and Chocolate Club resident DJs.

Bang in the middle of Hamra’s student district, Chords serves a delicious spread, including steaks, and has a lively nocturnal life to boot.

Tucked away at the end of Makdessi Street, Citizen Smith takes us back to a past era of Hamra, taking its name from the long standing supermarket 'Smith's' which closed its doors recently. With their extensive bar selection and friendly staff, Citizen Smith has an industrial-feel interior and attracts a crowd of young and artsy professionals.

With uber-trendy black décor, low divan seating and funky '80s music, if they sort out the sickly sweet cocktails, this could be the best bar in town. To add to the loungey vibe, Colorbar also screens films every Sunday night.

A swanky nightclub with gold decor and sumptuous setting. With DJ Alan on the decks playing house and DJ Geo pumping more RnB, oriental, and commercial music.

This large restaurant-club, complete with draping red velvet curtains, chandeliers and a half circle bar, has a regular live band and singer playing French, Arabic and English songs. Their special is a veal filet with ponnata sauce.

A café and pub boasting lively and energetic vibes to all who visit. Stop by in the morning and choose between a tempting oriental or English breakfast. They also serve lunch and dinner, with a large international cuisine on offer. Music varies between jazz and soft rock, giving all an indoor or outdoor experience. The indoor seating comfortably fits 100 people with enough space for 25 on the terrace.

One of Hamra’s most famous bars and a magnet for the young, liberal, international and intellectual crowd. Hosts live music three to five times a week on their small basement stage and DJs every night of the week playing everything from jazz and funk to soul, indie and electro. After midnight the bar fills out as many people's evenings finish in this popular Hamra destination, this is when the atmosphere is at its most electric. Thur-Fri: live music.

Its trendy art deco setting and imaginative menu is popular with the Hamra hipster crowd and AUB students. Transforms seamlessly from subdued daytime work space (with free WiFi) to dimly-lit bar in the evenings, with excellent music and a backdrop of classic films with the sound off.

Out of the dust of an unmarked building site appears an ambitious concert hall with an industrial look, all grey tones and exposed pipes. Check out their Clubbing Saturdays where you can finish off with breakfast in the early hours.

Depot is the club for TAG Afterhours Sessions. This is the place for clubbers who don't want the party to end as resident DJs B!Box and KAA keep the mainly electronic-orientated music spinning till well after breakfast time.

A tiny cosy place, decorated with wooden furniture and large mirrors. The barmen dress like barbers and the DJ spins some real crowd pleasers with a bent towards jazz, funk and Latin music. Check out their perfectly made mojitos.

Famous haunt for ex-pat war reporters in the ‘70s. A very English pub serving fish, steaks, salads and the like. It’s an entertaining change of scene, the walls decorated with bagpipes, swords and reindeer heads on the walls, and is surprisingly affordable.

The pleasure of an authentic Latino experience is not to be underestimated in this lively, vibrant venue. Argentinian flags grace the walls of the building and a discreet entrance leads upstairs to an impressive well-stocked bar. Latino Dance Night is held every Wednesday, and a variety of world music is played regularly. This Gemmayzeh hot spot provides rich pickings for well-heeled tourists and locals.

A bar by night and a coffee shop by day. This small, cosy bar also houses a hidden converted garage where young crowds dance to underground live music (jazz, Latin funk, jazz rock, alternative rock, lounge music and folk). Friendly staff and a very laid back atmosphere.