Must-see nightlife in Zürich

  • Frau Gerolds Garten

    Zürich

    Hmm, where to start? The wine bar? The margarita bar? The gin bar? Whichever poison you choose, this wildly popular focal point of Zürich's summer…

  • Rimini Bar

    Zürich

    Secluded behind a fence along the Sihl River, this bar at the Männerbad public baths is one of Zürich's most inviting open-air drinking spots. Its vast…

  • Old Crow, exterior

    Old Crow

    Zürich

    This atmospheric backstreet bar boasts more than 1600 rare spirits, with a particular focus on whiskies handpicked from the owner’s personal collection…

  • Clouds

    Zürich

    Zürich seems unfathomably tiny from the heights of this backlit, glass-fronted lounge bar on the 35th floor of the Prime Tower in the happening 5th…

  • Hive Club

    Zürich

    Electronic music creates the buzz at this artsy, alternative club (cover Sfr35) adjacent to Frau Gerolds Garten in Kreis 5. Enter through an alley strung…

  • Barfussbar

    Zürich

    The Frauenbad public bath (only open to women during the day) opens its doors to some refreshing nocturnal bar action. Up to 150 men are allowed into the…

  • Mame

    Zürich

    Run by the barista champions of Switzerland, Mame serves some of the best brews in town. The stylish coffee shop is decorated in a minimalist Japanese…

  • El Lokal, exterior

    El Lokal

    Zürich

    With photos, paintings and postcards adorning all the walls and a huge skeleton hanging from the ceiling, you could spend hours poring over the decor at…

  • Acid, interior

    Acid

    Zürich

    Bar meets coffee shop in this hip address. Acid serves excellent coffee and mixes fine cocktails, most of which are their own creation or remastered…

  • Sport Bar, exterior

    Sport Bar Cafeteria

    Zürich

    The name is slightly misleading – don’t expect to catch your favourite team on TV here. Instead, this casual, quiet cafe-bar mixes what are arguably the…

  • Stubä, exterior

    Stubä

    Zürich

    There's a touch of rock 'n' roll about Stubä – the dark lighting, the shabby chic furniture, the cocktails with a kick – but if you're eating, the main…

  • X-tra, entrance

    X-Tra

    Zürich

    Home to three dance floors, this versatile club and concert venue hosts weekly parties that range from '90s-themed discos to Goth gatherings and salsa…

  • Hafenkneipe, exterior

    Hafenkneipe

    Zürich

    Saluting nautical towns like Hamburg and Amsterdam, this small, cosy bar welcomes weary landlubbers with a large selection of craft beers, maritime decor,…

  • Café Noir, exterior

    Café Noir

    Zürich

    Tucked away down a little side street, there are only a handful of tables and a small outdoor seating area at this cosy little place, but they roast their…

  • 4 Tiere

    Zürich

    Gin lovers hang out at this chic little bar in Zürich's 4th district, with more than 300 gins hailing from all over the world to sample. Expertly mixed…

  • Mascotte

    Zürich

    The old variety hall ‘Corso’ has been revamped into one of Zürich's most popular clubs, with huge windows facing Sechseläutenplatz and the lake. A jam…

  • Club Zukunft

    Zürich

    Dance the night away in this hip basement nightclub just off Langstrasse. Ravers are welcomed by a plethora of glittery disco balls and a dazzling choice…

  • Eldorado

    Zürich

    A poster child for Zürich's emerging craft-beer scene, Eldorado is a cracking little bar, with a softly lit, retro-cool interior decorated with vintage…

  • Loft Five

    Zürich

    Purple backlighting, eye-catching art, wacky chandeliers and vintage chairs create an air of shabby-chic decadence at Loft Five. There's a great terrace…

  • The International Beer Bar

    Zürich

    Craft beer from Swiss and global microbreweries lures the thirsty punters to this glass-fronted bar in Zürich's hip 5th district. The vibe is very chilled…

  • Longstreet Bar

    Zürich

    In the heart of the Langstrasse action, the Longstreet is a music bar with a varied roll call of DJs. Try to count the thousands of light bulbs in this…

  • Kanzlei

    Zürich

    What is a school playground by day morphs into an outdoor bar and underground club by night. Reggae, dancehall, hip-hop and more appear regularly on the…

  • Heaven

    Zürich

    This boisterous club playing an eclectic musical mix is the epicentre of gay nightlife in Niederdorf. The cover charge is Sfr15 to Sfr20.

  • Kiosk Josefwiese

    Zürich

    A classic summer evening hang-out, this parkside bar sells cold beers and grilled snacks. Kids can frolic in the adjacent wading pool.

  • Café Odeon

    Zürich

    This one-time haunt of Lenin and the Dadaists is still a prime people-watching spot, taking you through from morning coffee to evening cocktails. Despite…

  • Supermarket

    Zürich

    Looking like an innocent little house, Supermarket boasts a dance floor surrounded by three cosy lounge bars, a covered back courtyard and an interesting…

  • Bauschänzli

    Zürich

    Location is the big draw at this beer garden, built atop 17th-century fortifications that jut into the middle of the Limmat River. From early October to…

  • Kaufleuten

    Zürich

    An opulent art-deco theatre with a stage, a mezzanine floor and bars arranged around the dance floor, Zürich’s ‘establishment’ club plays house, disco, R…

  • Café des Amis

    Zürich

    A good weekend brunch stop (until 4pm), this is above all a popular place to hang out and drink – anything from coffee to cocktails. In summer, spread out…

  • Daniel H

    Zürich

    An easygoing lounge-bar arrangement (with a tiny courtyard at the side), the ‘Dani H’ is a cruisy place to start the night. It is hetero-friendly. Note…

  • La Stanza

    Zürich

    Nicely placed in the upscale area of Enge, this stylish Italian bar is as much about posing as sipping your expertly mixed cocktail or glass of full…

  • Rio Bar

    Zürich

    With its outdoor terrace and prime location near the Hauptbahnhof, this tiny bar on an island in the Sihl river makes a tempting stop at any time.

  • Les Garçons

    Zürich

    This all-week gay dance bar in Kreis 4 has 1920s decor, weekend DJs, aperitifs, finger food and a smoking lounge.

  • Piccolo Giardino

    Zürich

    A convivial bar near Langstrasse that sets up big football-watching screens on its atmospheric garden terrace.