5 days ago
The 10 best bars in Hanoi
Hanoi fosters a bygone grace, so its nightlife scene tends to be more discreet than in Southeast Asia's younger, glitzier, more hedonistic capitals. The city excels in hushed speakeasy cocktail bars and intimate live music and entertainment venues.
Unmissable city highlights include the various quan bia hoi, Vietnam's answer to a Spanish tapas bar, though instead of munching on papas bravas and sipping cañas, patrons wash down stir-fried greens and deep-fried tofu with fresh, locally brewed beer. From beer halls to cocktail and whisky bars, and live music to entertainment venues, here are the best places to go in Hanoi after dark.
All our recommendations below have been hand selected and tested by our resident destination expert to help you discover the best bars in Hanoi. Find out more below, or for more Hanoi inspiration, see our guides to the region's best hotels, restaurants, coffee houses and things to do.
In this guide:
Best beer bars
Standing Bar
Bia hoi reigns supreme in Hanoi, but craft beer has made serious inroads, with several local breweries popping up across Vietnam over the past decade. Standing Bar, a proud free house, pays allegiance to no one, which means they have one of the largest selections of beers in the country. While most are brewed in Vietnam, some come from further afield. For award-winning national brews, ask the knowledgeable bartenders for a recommendation from Pasteur Street Brewery or Heart of Darkness.
