Sanlitun Bar Street, Beijing

Durty Nellies - it's over near San Li Tun (bar street - packed with foreigners and overpriced drinks and general craziness) Anyway, this is one of the better ones, drinks are still pretty high but it's worth the trip for the live music and cure for Guinness withdrawal. It was here that I saw a Chinese band playing 'Sweet Home Alabama' (and not doing a great job) at an Irish bar - truly an international experience.

Any tour book can tell you where to find 'bar street,' San Li Tun and the other really popular bars; I preferred to go out at the bars/clubs by the universities in the Haidian district, drinks are cheaper (our favorite bar was all you can drink for $5), there are fewer tourists, and you meet all kinds of interesting places.

Dress Code: anything goes at these places

Chao Yang District (the consulate district) - San Li Tun Clubbing area, The Den (pub and disco), The Loft (jazz live band with spacious and yuppie feel environment), The Paulaner Brauhaus (Hotel Kempinski Renassaince at Yin Sa district) with Latin music and salsa dance, foreigners filled
Filled with people of age mostly above 20's in San Li Tuen area. The Den & The Loft, locates closely to San Li Tun (within 5-10 mins cab travelling)
San Li Tun clubbing street - locals more than foreigners; The Den - half and half locals and foreigners; The Loft - mostly businessmen and mature around 30's or above; Paulaner Brauhaus (mostly foreigners)

Dress Code: Except San Li Tun area allows you to dress a bit casual, the others are suggested to have a smart casual way

San Li Tun st. is on the east part of BJ downtown, it is famous for almost 100 bars on both side of the streets. The street is very close to many famous hotels as well as east part of the Third Ring of BJ.

San Li Tun bar street is must go for night life. CD cafe has nice Jazz band in town. There is alot of night club, disco here. Please see the City Edition, Metro magazine for the city tour information.(can get it in hotel lobby or big restaraunt counter)...enjoy it.
Now, BJ creates 'Hutong' tour. You can find it around
backyard of forbidden city area. You can hire a 3 wheel car for a nice, casure ride. Normally one car two persons and cost you about 100rmb. Remember to bargain, it's a must. Near Hou Hai( back sea area just behind Forbidden city) area and alonf the river side there is some new bar, you can have greeny view also enjoy the romantic evening and sunset.

The most of the night life in Beijing is concentrated to one street 'Sanli Tun', this street is full of small nice bars, some with live music. This is the street where both the local people and the toursist go, some bars are open until 5 or 6 in the morning.

You can also find some discos in the city, I have seen advertisements but never had the time to go...

Karaoke bars are common in Beijing (as everywhere in China and Asia).. but do not expect the same to find any strip-bars like in many other asian countries...

Anyway.. Go out and have some fun in the evening!

Dress Code: Whatever.... as long as you have clothes...

The main concentration of bars is in the area known as Sanlitun, which is nestled in the embassy district. It is basically made of two streets going north to south of the Goungti Beilu. Most of the bars are open during the day as restaurants, and then, depending on where u go, become blazing pits of drunken debauchery, quiet dens of social drinking or venues for amateur and semiprofessional rock or jazz bands.

To meet expats go to Sanlitun any night of the week. It is close to most of the embassies and has a silk market of its own during the day. Nice restaurants.

For a more Chinese taste try some of the clubs mentioned in travel guides. We went to one club on what appeared to be on an Army Base, interesting.

Pubs

Beijingers refer to Sanlitun Lu as the ' Golden Street', which may have as much to do with the price of real estate as the fact that business is booming here. Sanlitun Lu must account for about 75% of the expat bar-cafes in town.
Jazz Ya is an enormous place and one of the busiest expat night spots in Beijing. The official address is 18 Sanlitun Beilu, although it's actually hidden in a small alley just to the east of the main road. It's open 10.30am to 2am.
Nearby, Dai Sy's Pub at 48 Sanlitun Lu is a very popular spots and has outdoor tables. It opens early and is a good spot for lunch and dinner.
Maggie's Bar on Xinyuan Lu is the place to go if you want to stay out all night- operating hours are typically from 6pm to 5am.

Sun Lin Tun is an area in Beijing, which has all the bars and pubs with live music.. there are many in this area and you might want to take a look around before deciding on one. There is a "SWING" bar, which I thought was the best... great live music.. and a small cozy place.

Dress Code: Anything/Nothing