Your Hong Kong Nightlife Guide

The Hong Kong nightlife scene is a huge mass of choices for everyone. The vast majority of nightspots are concentrated into 4 distinct corners of Hong Kong and Kowloon.

We'll show you the best Hong Kong Nightspots for your money in all 4 corners of this vibrant city.

I'll tell you how to get to these places by MTR (Mass Transit Rail). You'll know exactly what part of town you want to be in and how to get there after reading this page.

The legal drinking age in Hong Kong is 18 years old. So, Have fun.

The only problem with the Hong Kong nightlife scene is the high price of drinks.

Wander around some of the Hong Kong bars and take note of the ones that have special offers and what time they run Happy Hour. A lifeline to budget travelers is the Happy Hour.

Don't forget the best drinks value in Town. It may not be considered a part of the Hong Kong nightlife scene but it's the best value in town and a lot of fun. Happy Valley Race Course run their Wednesday night horse races while you pay only $10HKD to get in and $100HKD for a jug of beer.

4 pints per Jug is $25HKD or about $3.5USD per pint. Yes, I am cheap but watching the horse racing while drinking that cheap beer is a great night out. It's a very social event and many people come out for the party and place just the occasional bet.

Also keep in mind the fact that women are considered more important than us men. Wednesday nights are ladies' nights and most bars in 'Wan Chai' give free drinks to the ladies.

For you men that may be feeling jealous. Don't bother trying to get the free drinks by wearing makeup and stockings. It never works.

Not all of the bars are like that. The Hong Kong nightlife scene is filled with corner pubs serving $2USD Tsing Tao beer that is cold and tasty but you'll be sitting on plastic chairs and stared at by old couples and single men with old noodles stuck to the side of their faces.

These noodle / drinking bars are really a neat experience but any new friends you meet won't speak much English language. Despite that I actually met and sat with some of the nicest Chinese people I'd met throughout the year I spent in China.

The traditional hotspot for both eating and drinking with westerners is Lan Kwai Fong in Central. Wan Chai is also fun, if slightly sleazier with numerous girly bars along 'Lockhart Road', while 'Causeway Bay' and 'Eastern Soho' out beyond 'Quarry Bay' offer a less touristy experience.

There are 2 'Sub-Sections' of the 'Central' District on Hong Kong Island. They are...

Lan Kwai Fong

Take the MTR to the 'Central' MTR station on Hong Kong Island.

Use 'Exit D2' so you'll be on 'Theatre Lane'. It's about a 5 minute walk along 'Theatre Lane' up to 'D'aguilar Street, which is the heart of the Hong Kong Nightlife in Lan Kwai Fong. Just follow the smiling and sometimes swaggering people.

Once you're there you'll easily find a bar to your liking.

SoHo

SoHo is very near Lan Kwai Fong. Take the MTR to the 'Central' MTR station and use 'Exit D2'. Once outside turn right off 'Theatre Lane'. Walk along 'Queen's Road Central' towards 'The Center'. Then take the 'Central-Mid-levels Escalator' to its end and you're in 'SoHo'.

'Lan Kwai Fong' District has a much larger selection of bars and is filled with the most Hong Kong nightlife venues and an infectious energy. More so than the SoHo District. But the people let loose just as well.

People go to Lan Kwai Fong to be seen and to practice their breathing. But in SoHo they let their hair down and it was just a lot more entertaining and relaxing.

• Q (Bar)

Q has a back-lit long-bar that is the visual heart of the place. The bartenders are friendly and serve up the newest and trendiest cocktails, rare Vintage wines and carry a huge selection of spirits and liqueurs.

DJs nightly starting at 10pm.

Last time I went in they were running their Happy Hours from Monday to Saturday between 6-10pm. That was November 2007 but I talked to some staff and they believed that the extra long happy hours kept people in the place long into the late hours.

Makes sense. Get people as drunk as you can before that 10pm bell rings. They won't be sober enough to leave or even walk but they can still pull their wallets from their pockets and lift glasses to their faces. Marketing at its best.

• C Bar

A great little bar to check out the entire Lan Kwai Fonf Hong Kong nightlife district. At the very top of C Bar you can look down on the main intersection and have a beer while you decide where next to go.

• Hong Kong Brewhouse

The floor of this bar is covered in a thick layer of sawdust. The bar is long and the stool are comfortable. It's a very relaxing place to drink some of their famous beers. They do have a pretty extensive menu of other drinks but this bar is relaxed but vibrant on the weekends.

You'll not need your suit and tie in this pub but you wouldn't be stared at if you had one on. Rated The Top Spot in Central For a nice Introduction to some Hong Kong Nightlife:)

• Fringe Club Roof Garden

A more refined crowd makes this rooftop terrace their Hong Kong nightlife home. But the terrace is high enough to literally lift you out of the chaos of the city below. There is a pretty relaxed atmosphere and makes for a great spot to take someone you'd like to impress.

Rainy days spoil the entire rooftop terrace experience but it's especially beautiful if you can get a seat up there in the hours after a major downpour.

• Mo Bar

This is a fashionable hangout at the Cosmopolitan Landmark Mandarin Oriental Hotel. Yes that name is intimidating and the drinks are overpriced in this street level entry into the Hong Kong nightlife scene.

Mo Bar was really a place where people seemed very concerned about who owned the newest, most expensive mobile phone. I had one beer and watched the men pulling their mobile phones from the pockets of their expensive suits.

Sometimes I think that there was no one on the other end of the line.

I also was approached by a few very high-class prostitutes. High-Class basically means I would never have pinned them as Prostitutes. But luckily I had looked in the mirror before I headed out. Girls like this don't approach guys like me. Although, I did have on my luck y shirt!

They are not pushy but be aware that they are at Mo Bar and usually make nice offers and guise their evil tactics as a harmless offer of a massage in your room.

• Drop

Some Call this The Hippest Bar on the Hong Kong Nightlife Scene. They serve a colorful collection of fresh-fruit Martinis that taste like fruit juice. They're dangerous because you can't taste the alcohol in the drink. But if that's you're biggest problem in life then you're doing pretty good and you'll enjoy a night out here.

The people who include 'Drop' in the Hong Kong nightlife schedule are high-energy folks. It's probably the most happening place in the 'Central' district of Hong Kong. There are some happy people that come to 'Drop' bar.

Opening Hours Are:

Monday-Tuesday 7pm to 2am.
Wednesday 7pm-3am
Thursday 7pm-4am
Friday-Saturday 7pm-6am.

• Bar George

Bar George is a contemporary version of the traditional English Pub. A great place to start the night out because of their happy Hour. It runs everyday from 5pm-7pm. Drinks are half price and the place is usually filled and even packed on the weekends.

Good place to start a night amongst the Hong Kong nightlife.

• Boca

Tapas and wine bar that is always full, especially during Happy Hours from 5pm-7pm. Even the happy hours are an expensive affair here but once your in this area of 'SoHo' other nightspots await you on every corner.

• Dragon-I

Ultra-cool bar that attracts the prime party set of the Hong Kong nightlife scene. The show is a spectacular one as this is a bar to be seen in. I couldn't believe the extravagance of the fashion and the beauty of the people in Dragon-I.

I felt like the ugliest man in the world with the fewest friends and the worst fashion sense. But that wasn't from an unwelcoming environment because I felt comfortable being the ugliest man in the room.

Happy Hour runs from 3pm-9pm so it's great for afternoon alcoholic action. People don't usually start showing up until 10pm but that is the norm for most bars and clubs on the Hong Kong nightlife scene.

• Yumla

This is a really small club with a big atmosphere. Yumla is a basement club with more reasonable drink prices and a great place to jive to the tunes from the local DJs. The dance floor can get packed on the weekends and few people have any rhythm but it's fun as heck just to get in the middle and wave along with it.

• Gecko

This is a popular place for the young, hip, easy-going crowd. A bit difficult to find the place but the entrance is very near the corner of Cochrane and Hollywood Road.

Wan Chai is the most famous Hong Kong Nightlife District for its selection of Pubs, Nightclubs and Hostess bars. This is also the District to find the most live music and the best places for dancing the night away.

There are 3 roads that you should be aware of in the Wan Chai District.

Lockhart Road

Take the MTR to the 'Wan Chai' MTR station. Take 'Exit C' and you'll be standing on Lockhart Road the moment you come outside into the open air.

Luard Road

Take the MTR to the 'Wan Chai' MTR station. Take 'Exit C' onto Lockhart Road and turn left on Lockhart Road. It's only about a 3 minute walk up Lockhart Road before you cross Luard Road.

Jaffe Road

Take the MTR to the 'Wan Chai' MTR station. Take 'Exit C' onto Lockhart Road and turn Right this time on Lockhart Road. Walk up to O'Brian Road and turn left on O'Brian Road. Take the immediate Right and you'll find yourself standing on Jaffe Road.

• JJ'S

Designed as a nice dining venue with a regular R&B band that performs from Monday to Saturday starting at 9.30pm. It's in the Grand Hyatt Hotel but you can get away with cheap Happy Hour warm-ups and then head over.

I had to mention it because the seating is so darn comfortable, the Band is fantastic and I watched them perform for over an hour with only a single drink purchase ($9USD for that drink!)

• Joe Bananas

A wonderful place located on Lockhart road, where the drinks are friendly and the women are cheap (or was it the other way around?). this place has a reputation for drinking that precedes it. People don't talk much as their beer mugs and wine glasses are occupying their mouths.

Partying and drinking goes on until sunrise.

happy hours run from 11am to 10pm. Yes, you can get a drink during happy hours before Noon. Maybe that's not your thing but it's nice to have the option for those who are on holiday. Once the crowds arrive around 10-11pm Joe Bananas really starts becoming a place you just can't leave.

As a budget traveler who spent 4 months in Hong Kong I never found myself thinking there was a better choice amongst the multitude of Hong Kong nightlife. Try and make it to Joe Bananas because it's worth the effort.

• Bulldog's Bar And Grill

If you love the Live music venues in the Hong Kong nightlife scene then mark Bulldog's on your list. The food is as good as the best Bar&Grill type comfort food you'll find back home. The multiple large screen Tvs keep a strict sport schedule for the sports from Cricket to the occasional Hockey Game.

You'll also find their second branch at:

• Delaney's

This is an Irish bar in every sense. It boasts a collection of over 50 different kinds of whiskeys. The happy hour is the reason Delaney's is on this page because it is far from cheap during their Peak hours.

But Happy Hour runs from Noon until 9pm and some of the drinks get almost reasonable.

• The Canny Man

The people, atmosphere and music are relaxing and laid back here. The Canny Man stocks over 200 malt whiskies from Scotland alone. There's also a pool table with some great competitive nights and even the occasional prize-cash competition.

I never win because I'm not near some of the best pool players that sow up with magically detachable pool 'Wands" that they screw together then screw everyone who tries to beat them.

The 'Canny Man' is a pub atmosphere with wireless internet access. It's usually quiet during the day so you'll often see people with their Notebooks open, getting some work done while enjoying a scotch. It gets quite busy on the weekends though.

Causeway Bay is the place for some cozy bars and some Lively pubs. But the most dominant form of Hong Kong Nightlife entertainment in Causeway Bay is Karaoke. Don't be afraid to walk into one or more of the Karaoke Bars. They can be a lot of fun as long as you're not asked to sing.

The best 2 Streets to find the best Hong Kong nightlife in Causeway Bay are:

Yui Wah Street

Take the MTR to the 'Causeway Bay' MTR station. Once there take 'Exit A' out of the MTR terminal. This will put you on Sharp Road East. Take a left and walk a single block up. 'Yui Wah Street' is one block away and runs parallel to Sharp Road East.

Sunning Road and Hoi Ping Road

Take the MTR to the 'Causeway Bay' MTR station. Once there take 'Exit F' out of the MTR terminal. This will land you on Yun Ping Road. From there you'll have to turn Right into Hysan Road. Sunning Road and Hoi Ping Road run 2 streets to the left of Hysan Road.

It sounds confusing when I read it back but the directions are solid and much easier to navigate than I made it seem.

• Dicken's Bar

Lively Sports Bar with some great grub and multiple large-screen TVs. Happy Hours runs from 5pm-8pm

• Diva Red

The interior of Diva Red is all in red but it's a soothing red and a comfortable place. It's expensive for drinks but they have some of the best mixed cocktails in town. Diva Red is expensive though I've listed it here because at Happy Hours they offer 2 for 1 drinks. Happy Hour runs from 6pm-9pm Monday to Saturday.

• Inn Side Out / East End Brewery

A secluded Gem of a place for a casual drink and some of its excellent American-Style food. Happy Hours run from 2:30pm-8pm.

• Windsor Arms Sport Bar

Yes, the Windsor Arms Sport Bar is in the Regal Hotel. It's a top notch bar and the drinks can be expensive. Especially because they have failed to implement the Budget Travelers' life-line. There is no Happy Hour.

I'm putting it here because The Windsor Arms Sport Bar turns into a sporting fans dream in the evenings. The giant screen TV shows all the major sporting events and once you're on Ye Wo Street, you'll find many other options less than a few meters away.

This is where I spent most of my time while in Hong Kong. Much of the Hong Kong Nightlife in Tsim sha Tsui is within walking distance of my hotel in the Mirador Mansion.

There are a few streets and areas where the Hong Kong nightlife in Tsim Sha Tsui is at it's best.

Knutsford Terrace, Knutsford Steps And Observatory Court

Take the MTR to the 'Tsim Sha Tsui' MTR station. Make sure to use 'Exit B1' so that you'll exit onto 'Nathan Road'. Walk along Nathan Road for 2 blocks until you see Kimberly road. Turn left onto Kimberly Road and keep a look-out for a walkway just past the Miramar Shopping Center.

Ashley Road

Take the MTR to the 'Tsim Sha Tsui' MTR station. Make sure to use 'Exit C1' so that you'll exit onto Nathan Road. Walk along Nathan Road until you come to 'Peking Road'. Take a right turn onto Peking Road and walk another 3 blocks before turning right onto 'Ashley Road'.

Hart Avenue and Prat Avenue

Take the MTR to the 'Tsim Sha Tsui' MTR station. Make sure to use 'Exit A2' so that you'll exit onto Humphrey's Avenue. It's a 5 minute walk along Humphrey's Avenue before you'll come to Hart and Prat Avenue.

Tsim Sha Tsui East

Take the MTR to the 'Tsim Sha Tsui' MTR station. Make sure to use 'Exit C1' so that you'll exit onto Nathan Road. Cross Nathan Road and get onto Mody Road on the opposite side of the street.

Walk along Mody Road for about 10 minutes and you'll come to Chatam Road South. Cross Chatham Road South and keep walking for another 10 minutes before you'll arrive at Tsim Sha Tsui East.

• 8 Fine Irishmen

5pm-7pm is all they'll grant you for Happy Hours but the prices during Happy Hours are some of the best, if not the best amongst any bar or club on the Hong Kong Nightlife scene. Observatory Court is considered a trendy place but the people are great even if they may go overboard on the fashion.

• Bahama Mama's

The first thing I noticed inside this place were the Palm Trees. Apparently Bahama Mama's is most famous for its shooter menu. If you love shooters and playing Foozball (Table Football) while Palm Trees sway in the artificial breeze then you'll love Bahama Mama's

Happy Hours run from 5pm-9pm Monday to Saturday.

• Bulldog's Bar & Grill Kowloon

Bulldog's is heart and soul a sports pub. They serve up Aussie-Brit style pub food complimented by round-the-clock live sports action on both large-screen TVs and large projection TVs. Live bands are a mainstay 6 days a week usually starting their show after 10pm.

• Ned Kelly's Last Stand

A really good warm-up bar. It's located on Ashley Road which runs parallel to Nathan Road. Ned's is an Australian themed jazz bar with great food and good live music on most nights. Usually the band takes stage after Happy Hours which runs from 6pm-9pm

The place has very long tables so you'll often find yourself at the same table as many others. An awesome way for a lone traveler to meet some new people. You'll find many other travelers checking out the Hong Kong nightlife and are quick to start up a conversation.

Ugly people are ugly people the world over. If a beautiful South-East Asian girl suddenly finds you 'Handsome too much' then you've just met a girl who may not have your best interests at heart. Maybe you know that and don't care. Just as long as you know that she will want money for her time.

Some of the Western bars and Restaurants on Lockhart Road in Wan Chai are where the prostitutes from Southeast Asia (Thailand, Indonesia and The Phillipines) work. Sometimes they work as 'waitresses' until the bar or restaurant closes. Then they magically transform into available women for a wine and dancing "date" with even the elephant man.

Western women often aren't as warmly welcomed as Western men in these places. The girls are jealous of Western women because they are much more beautiful. You probably don't want to be in any of these bars anyway. If you do then just head in with wide eyes and enjoy a cold beer.

Don't leave your drinks unattended. The same goes for Men and Women both. I read in the Newspapers about scams that involved drugs being placed in your drink. Robberies happen quite often (Big City) and it's usually the Lone man or woman who may have drank too much.

Check your bill because they are sometimes fatter than they should be.

The bars with curtains covering the doors are brothels. Drinks may be cheap but those for the girls will be expensive. I first thought that I was buying a drink that would cost the same as my own for a girl who actually liked me.

This was at a 'Normal-looking' bar in Wan Chai. I had to go home after buying a few drinks. I'd run out of money.

Be careful out there but enjoy. The Hong Kong nightlife scene is one of the best in the world.

Here's a little taste of the Hong Kong Nightlife in video for all of you who can't make it to the party. Open a bottle of beer or wine and pour a glass to fully join in the Hong Kong nightlife.

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