Although more low key than other cities in south-east Asia Hanoi has popular clubs and chill out bars, a jazz club in the Old Quarter, local microbreweries, chic hotel bars for cocktails, and traditional theatre and puppet shows.

Bars and clubs

Funky Monkey 15b Hang Hanh

DJ sets, pool tables and pizzas.

Polite Pub at 5 Bao Khanh

Popular bar with late night opening

Legends Beer 1 Pho Dinh Tien Hoang

Microbrewery serving lager, dark and wheat beers with a balcony overlooking Hoan Kiem Lake

Le Club 15 Pho Ngo Quyen

Located in the French colonial hotel the Metropole serving champagne and cocktails.

Mosaique Livingroom 23 Ngo Van So

Intimate club with live music and DJ sets popular with the expat crowd.

New Century 10 Pho Trang

One of the city's largest clubs with many bars, techno and hip hop DJ sets and karaoke

Bai Hoi 59 Ly Thuong Kiet

Popular ‘bai hoi' serving the local draught beer – popular with locals.

Apocalypse Now Pham Ngoc Thach

At one time the only club in the city and still popular with clubbers.

The Spotted Cow 23c Hai Ba Trung

Aussie-owned sports bar with English Premier League and rugby matches shown.

Live Music

Club 51 51 Pho Ly Thai To, French Quarter

Lounge bar featuring live music and cabaret acts.

R&R Tavern Lo Su

Live music – mainly classic rock features from Thursday through to Saturday nights.

Minh's Jazz Club 31 Loung Van Can Street

Popular jazz venue featuring owner Van Minh and invited guests – with balcony overlooking the Hoan Kiem Lake .

Municipal Puppet Theatre Roi Nuoc Thang Long

This enchanting show is popular with adults and children. The ‘stage' is a shallow pool where underwater poles and rods are manipulated to move puppets across the water. Accompanied by traditional Vietnamese music the puppets perform complex moves telling the stories of local fishermen, dragons and the legends of the city.

Vietnam Tuong Theatre Mai Dich

Traditional music and dance performed in a lovely old theatre. The show has five elements featuring lions, dragons and traditional folk tales.

Hanoi Opera House Pho Trang Tien

Features orchestras and operatic productions from all over the world in the beautiful French colonial Opera House.

Central Circus Lenin Park

Nightly performances held in the circus tent in Lenin Park . There is also a children's show on Sunday mornings.

Fansland Cinema 84 Ly Thuong Kiet Street

Shows ‘Original Version' films with Vietnamese and English subtitles in old wooden cinema.

Alliance Francais Cinema 42 Yet Kieu

Shows contemporary and classic French films.