The nightlife in Hanoi has a huge variety of interesting things to see and do. You can sit on a low plastic stool in the street and drink the cheapest beer in the world, go to a lively bar or dance in a nightclub. If you’re not into this you can take a walk through the illuminated city and try some of the best street food or catch a beautiful show at the opera house. It doesn’t matter what type you are because when it comes to going out in Hanoi, there is something to choose from for everyone.
- Bia Hoi Junction
- Water puppet theater
- Evening walk
- Weekend night market
- The best bars in Hanoi
- Beer Gardens
- The best clubs in Hanoi
- Hanoi Opera
- Enjoy street food
- The best Sky Bar in Hanoi
1. Bia Hoi Junction
Sit on a low plastic stool between the locals and other travelers with whom you can share the love for beer. Enjoy a class of Bia Hoi, the cheapest beer in the world, starting already from $ 0.30 cents (7,000 VND) per glass! All over the Old Quarter you will see street stalls selling Bia Hoi, but the most famous place is Bia Hoi Junction, at the intersection of Dinh Liet, Ta Hien and Luong Ngoc Quyen streets.
It is a great place to make new friends and to watch people while sitting on a low plastic stool and maybe even enjoy fresh cooked street food dish on the side. You will find many more travelers, backpackers and locals here to meet and share your travel stories with. The amazing atmosphere and drinking with the locals makes this a unique experience and one of the best nightlife in Hanoi.
Address: 14 Đông Thái, Hàng Buồm
Opening hours: 7 AM – 11 PM
2. Water puppet theater
The water puppet show at Thang Long Theater in Hanoi is based on ancient traditions that started as far back as the 11th century. Farmers stood in the flooded rice paddies performing dolls behind a bamboo screen to amuse the locals. These shows now take place in a theater with a pool, but the performers are still hiding behind a screen. This makes the dolls appear to magically float over the water. Although you can see similar shows in many other cities in Vietnam, the water puppet show is originally from the north.
Address: 57B Đinh Tiên Hoàng
Opening hours: 8 AM – 6 PM
3. Evening walk
Every part of the day, morning, afternoon and evening, Hanoi has a completely different atmosphere. In the evening hundreds of street food stalls pop up, it gets a lot busier with people walking the streets and clubs and bars attracting guests with gaudy neon lights. But also the most famous sights and monuments of the city are beautifully lit up, such as various temples and the Opera House. Inside the city center you will see locals and tourist going out for food or drinks and in the neighboring parks people come to relax, date or exercise. One of the best ways to explore this part of the nightlife in Hanoi is to go out for a walk and observe.
It is worthwhile to walk past some of your favorite places again after dark, which often look completely different. With a walk around Hoan Kiem Lake you can enjoy the park coming to life and see people exercising and dancing and young Vietnamese who come here to date. The temples and bridges in and around the lake are beautifully lit at night. After this, walk on to the old quarter, past the colonial buildings and some of the city’s iconic hotels. It is wonderful to observe daily life in the small streets. The streets have a very different atmosphere at night than during the day, so taking a walk might be the perfect way to see and experience the nightlife in Hanoi.
4. Weekend night market
Held every Friday, Saturday and Sunday, the Hanoi Weekend Night Market is a busy, bustling gathering of roadside stalls and local food vendors supplying huge crowds of locals and tourists. The weekend market is located in a big part of the Old Quarter and starts from 7pm.
It is great to walk around the busy alleys of the market and checking out the goods that are on sale. It is mostly fashion items on sale won’t attract much attention as you’ll find the usual array of cheap t-shirts, crafts, accessories, shoes, sunglasses, and souvenirs. If you do see something you want to by, then don’t forget to bargain first. Prices are often a lot higher and it is part of the culture to first negotiate.
5. The best bars in Hanoi
When it comes to nightlife in Hanoi, you can’t skip some of the best bars in town. Most of the best bars and pubs in Hanoi are conveniently located in the Old Quarter and are very popular among tourist and expats.
Binh Minh’s Jazz Club
If you like good live jazz, visit Binh Minh’s Jazz Club in the heart of Hanoi’s French Quarter. Here you’ll find the best jazz musicians in the country, including Vietnamese jazz pioneer Binh Minh himself, on stage every night from 9:00 PM to 11:30 PM.
Address: 1 Tràng Tiền, Phan Chu Trinh
Opening hours: 5 PM – 12 AM
Polite & Co.
Polite and Co is located right in the center of Hanoi’s Old Quarter, in a old building with a very British facade. Inspired by the Gentlemen clubs from 1920, they specialize in cocktails and whiskey. The interior has very dark wood furnishings, a full bar and candlelight.
Address: 5b Ngõ Bảo Khánh
Opening hours: 4 PM – 12 AM (Friday and Saturday untill 2 AM)
Nê Cocktail Bar
Nê Cocktail Bar is one of the most charming places in town, with a great decor. As the name suggests it is a great place to get cocktails, but there are also enough order drinks on the men. This classy bar is definitely one of the best places in Hanoi for a drink late at night.
Address: 3B Tống Duy Tân
Opening hours: 7:30 PM – 2:00 AM
6. Beer Gardens
Hanoi is also very popular for its special beers in Vietnam. If you’re planning for nightlife in Hanoi, it’s great to start in a real beer bar.
Legend Beer
Legend Beer is one of Hanoi’s most popular beer bars. It is mainly known for its view of the always busy and chaotic roundabout, right next to Hoan Kiem Lake. When you sit here during the busy rush hour you can take beautiful pictures or a time laps of the chaotic traffic.
Legend Beer serves its home-brewed drinks and a selection of German specialties such as pork knuckle and sausages every day from 11:00 to 23:00. As it is quite popular with tourists looking to take pictures, the prices here are a bit higher than other places in the old quarter, but the view makes it worthwhile.
Address: 5 Đinh Tiên Hoàng
Opening hours: 4:00 PM – 11:00 PM
New Sphinx Beer Bar
Go to New Sphinx for a real local experience of the drinking culture in Hanoi. Every night, guests gather in the come together in the bar with an Egyptian theme to drink lots of beer and try to talk to each other above the very loud live music. It is for that reason one for everyone, but if you are looking for a real local experience you should definitely come here for a beer. In addition, food is also served, but the emphasis is mainly on the drinks.
Address: 2 Láng Hại
Opening hours: 10:30 AM – 11:30 PM
The 100 Beer Garden
The 100 Beer Garden has a different atmosphere, with many different draft beers. There is a cozy atmosphere in this outdoor bar with beers from local breweries and beers from all over the world.
Address: 68 Ngõ 238 Âu Cơ
Opening hours: 4 PM – 0:00 AM
7. The best clubs in Hanoi
If you prefer to dance and have a real party atmosphere while enjoying nightlife in Hanoi, visit one of the many bars.
Hero Club Hanoi
The Hero Club Hanoi is a real club in Hanoi, with different styles of music and people dancing. It has a nice decor with old propaganda posters, superhero images and a the DJ booth is in an old Soviet truck. The music they play in this club is from R&B and hip hop to EDM and Deep House. It is one of the most famous clubs in Hanoi and it regularly host well known international and local artists.
Address: 42M Yên Phụ
Opening hours: 11:00 PM – 3:00 AM (in weekend until 4:00 AM)
Hanoi Rock City
Hanoi Rock City is the perfect mix of parties and culture. They have both night with dance music with DJ’s as live musicians, art performances and much more. Drinks here are a a little more expensive than other clubs in Hanoi, but the Hanoi Rock City experience is unique and a lot of fun. The people that come here are a mix of international and local artists, expats, travelers and Vietnamese. An evening here is always to be an unforgettable experience.
Address: 27/52 Đường Tô Ngọc Vân
Opening hours: 4:00 PM – 2:00 AM
8. Hanoi Opera
If you want to go out more chic in Hanoi, choose to visit a show in the stunning Opera House. But this famous attraction deserves a visit anyway, whether you want to see a show or not. Especially at night, when it is beautifully lit.
If you want to see the Opera House from the inside you have to book a ticket for a show. It is well worth the price, because the inside of this colonial building is even more impressive than the outside. In addition, the shows that are organized here are great. The shows usually include ballet, opera, musicals and modern dance from Both Vietnamese and international artists. It is best to see the schedule of upcoming performances on the website of the Opera House.
Address: 01 Tràng Tiền
9. Enjoy street food
The street food in Hanoi is one of the best of the country. Just because it’s getting later doesn’t automatically mean the food stalls will close. On the contrary. During the nightlife in Hanoi you will see many more street eateries opening up, especially around the busy streets with bars and clubs. If you want to be sure of the best street food, it’s best to see which stall attracts the most locals. One of the most popular places are the BBQ stalls.
Explore nightlife in Hanoi and the best street food by tour
A really fun way to experience Hanoi’s street food scene is with our local Hanoi street food tour. With this night activity, you will explore streets and small alleys in search of the best food with a local guide. Sit among the locals on the street and observe their nightlife. A guide will tell you more about the local culture and makes sure you will only sit at places with good hygiene and amazing food!
10. The best Sky Bar in Hanoi
Another fun experience if you want to go out in Hanoi are the Sky Bars, or a rooftop bar with a great view.
Northern Soul
The Northern Soul Rooftop Bar is right in the Old Quarter, very close to Bia Hoi junction. A great thing about this bar is that you can observe the crazy nightlife on the busy Bia Hoi streets from above. The bar itself has a great atmosphere with relaxing soul music playing during the night. It is very nicely decorating and the lounge chairs are the perfect place to relax from the busy street life below.
Address: 31 Tạ Hiện
Opening hours: 5:00 PM – 2:00 AM (weekend until 3:00 AM)
Lighthouse Sky Bar
In the old Hang Be Street you will find one of the newest and most stylish rooftop bars in Hanoi: Lighthouse Sky Bar. Located on the top three floors of the fantastic La Siesta Premium Hang Be hotel, it is a great place for many occasions. The terrace is open-air with both comfortable lounge sofas and bar stools in the front row. So you can choose to relax more in the back or be in the front with the stunning view over Hanoi.
Address: 27 Hàng Bè
Opening hours: 5:00 PM – 0:00 AM
Twilight Sky Bar
Twilight Sky Bar is a chic rooftop bar, located on top of the Hanoi La Siesta Central Hotel & Spa, close to Hoan Kiem Lake in the Old Quarter. With the bar on the eighth floor it is close enough to feel the city streets, but high enough for fantastic views of the city skyline and the nearby lake. You can order delicious cocktails, along with lots of Trappist beer and an extensive range of international wines. There is also a menu of Asian snacks and more filling Western dishes.
Address: 1A Cầu Gỗ
Opening hours: 5:00 PM – 0:00 AM
More tips for nightlife in Hanoi
Safety at night
Vietnam is a safe country and also at night you don’t need to worry about violent crime. Although after a night of drinking in Hanoi, you are more vulnerable for scams. They are mostly overcharging and involve often taxi drivers and motorbike taxi’s.
Transport at night
If you enjoy the nightlife in Hanoi in or around Old Quarter and you are also staying here overnight, it is best to walk back to your hotel, hostel or other type of accommodation. The walk back helps you sober up and prevents you of being overcharged by taxi drivers.
If you do need a taxi it is best to go with a reliable taxi service like Mai Linh (green) or Taxi Group/CP Taxi (white with red stripes). You can also choose the App Grab, similar as Uber, where you can see the price in the App before you step in the car. This app also has the option for motorbike taxis.
Before you go out, ask the receptionist at your hotel for the address and directions on a card of piece of paper so you avoid any confusing moments trying to explain where you need to go or he will even bring you to the wrong hotel.
