Bars and Nightclubs

Establishments in Beijing change business hours all the time, and it's always a good idea to call before running across the city.

Charlie's Bar

Jianguo Hotel

6 Jianguomenwai Dajie

Chaoyang District

Tel: +86-10 6500-2233

Hours: 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 a.m.

Despite the large number of new bars and clubs springing up around Beijing, Charlie's Bar, located in Beijing's first Sino-foreign joint-venture hotel, continues to attract a large number of returning businessmen, diplomats, and journalists. Live Filipino band every night. The clientele is mainly expatriate and visiting businesspeople in their 30s and up. Click here to see the map.

The Courtyard

95 Donghuamen Dajie

Tel: +86-10 6526-8883

Hours: 6 p.m. to 1 a.m. (daily)

Try The Courtyard's Asian fusion cuisine, or a drink or cappuccino as light jazz plays in the background. Or light one up in the cozy cigar divan on the second floor that overlooks the moat of the Forbidden City. Customers here are a well-heeled crowd of successful Chinese and Western businesspeople and artist types. There is an art exhibit in the basement and a cigar den on the second floor facing the Forbidden City.

Freezer

1F, Holiday Inn Lido

Chaoyang District

Tel: +86-10 6437-6688 ext. 1410

Hours: 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. (daily)

A good place for visiting businesspeople to rub elbows with young Chinese who come here to dance the night away. Click here to see the map.

Hard Rock Cafe

1/F, LandmarkTower

No. 8, Dong Sanhuan Beilu

Chaoyang District

Tel: +86-10 6590-6688 ext. 2571

Hours: 11:30 a.m. to 1 a.m.

Typical American food and drinks. Visiting businesspeople and Chinese come here each night to dance to live music by foreign bands. A cover charge of RMB100 is required starting 10 p.m. when the tables are rolled back to open the dance floor. Good place to rub elbows with locals. Click here to see the map.

John Bull Pub

44 Guanghua Lu

Chaoyang District

Tel: +86-10 6532-5905

Hours: 11 a.m. to midnight (Sundays to Wednesdays); 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. (Thursdays); 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. (Fridays and Saturdays)

Quiet British pub in the diplomatic area. On those days when the place is not so quiet, patrons can be seen playing pool, darts or watching live satellite sports broadcasts. Frequented by expatriate businesspeople and young Chinese. John Bull, Kilkenny, and Guinness on tap. Click here to see the map.

Passion

Great Wall Sheraton Hotel

Tel: +86-10 6590-9999

Hours: 8.30 p.m. to 2 a.m.

Beijing's busiest disco. For men only. Click here to see the map.

Press Club Bar

Beijing International Club Hotel

21 Jianguomenwai Dajie

Tel: +86-10 6460-6688

Hours: 5 p.m. to 1 a.m.; happy hour: 4 to 6 p.m.

This posh bar looks more like a bar in an exclusive British club of days past. Very quiet and a good place to talk business or chat with friends. Or head out to the hotel's immensely impressive Garden Lounge lobby bar, sink into one of the huge sofas with a drink, and listen to soft music played on the piano. Clientele here are sophisticated and well-to-do Chinese, as well as foreign businesspeople. Click here to see the map.

Vogue

Tel: +86-10 6416-5316

Hours: 6 p.m. till closing

Location: 150 meters north of the City Chain Hotel, on the west side of Gongti Donglu

One of Beijing's poshest dinner/dancing venues. Popular with the Chinese "in" crowd and young expatriates from their 20s to 40s. The dance floor is thrown open each night around 10 p.m. For a quiet chat, retreat to the comfortable sofas and armchairs in the cigar room on the second floor loft.