Must-see nightlife in Mongolia

  • UBean Coffeehouse

    Ulaanbaatar

    Ulaanbaatar's best spot for coffee, the stylish American-owned UBean specialises in pour-overs using single-origin beans sourced from farms from Ethiopia…

  • Hops & Rocks Brewery

    Ulaanbaatar

    Mongolia's first genuine producer of craft beer is this bar set up by a team of locals who brew a Crazy Shaman IPA, a Two Rams pale ale and a Red Cheeks…

  • Coffee By The Boot

    Western Mongolia

    Named for its location next to a 3½m-high Mongolian gutul (traditional riding boot), this cosy spot is decorated with murals of snow leopards and argali…

  • Dund Gol

    Ulaanbaatar

    One for lovers of obscure, indie music, Dund Gol is a hip little bar that doubles as a record store, stocking an impressive collection of Soviet and post…

  • 17 Sky Bar

    Ulaanbaatar

    One of UB's best spots for a cocktail is this ritzy rooftop bar atop the Central Tower, featuring wonderful views of the city and surrounding hills…

  • iLoft

    Ulaanbaatar

    This multi-use venue transforms into a pulsing nightclub after dark. There's leather seating, a large dance floor, techno beats and a mature crowd. It’s…

  • Basement

    Ulaanbaatar

    Head downstairs to this cool, grungy basement club in Seoul St to hang out with the local indie kids. There's regular live bands and DJs, and it's a good…

  • Three Camel Lodge Bar

    The Gobi

    Let's be real: milky tea and fermented camel's milk have their limitations. So when cocktail hour strikes in the Gobi consider steering toward Three Camel…

  • Kahn Uul Pub

    The Gobi

    This 1st-floor bar calls itself a pub, but it looks and feels like a lounge, with black-and-white vintage photos of Paris and New York on the walls, cushy…

  • Revolution

    Ulaanbaatar

    Playing its part in revitalising Seoul St is this happening pub fronted by an inviting terrace beer garden where owner Nasaa can usually be found behind…

  • ROC Caffeine Bar

    Ulaanbaatar

    Hidden away in an affluent south UB neighbourhood, this hip coffee roaster uses seasonal beans sourced from around the world. As well as knocking out a…

  • Matchbox Cafe

    Ulaanbaatar

    Catering to the local student crowd, Matchbox is a cool bar decked out with crate furniture, an old-school Sega console (with a heap of games), a foosball…

  • VLVT Lounge

    Ulaanbaatar

    In this dimly lit den of luxury, Ulaanbaatar's young entrepreneurs cut business deals over pricey cocktails (from T10,000) and platters of sushi while…

  • Revolution

    Ulaanbaatar

    Compared to its heaving main bar on Seoul St, this neighbourhood pub is a much more intimate affair. It's popular with cool, young Mongols here for local…

  • D.d / h.z

    Ulaanbaatar

    Ulaanbaatar's main hang-out for the local LGBT community, this relaxed neighbourhood pub has a friendly and welcoming atmosphere. Its owner Zorig Alima…

  • MB Beer Plus

    Ulaanbaatar

    This popular city microbrewery produces four beers on-site, with the standout being its amber ale; it also does a lager, weiser and dark ale. It gets…

  • Peaberry

    Ulaanbaatar

    One for those who take their coffee seriously, this cool microroastery brews beans from across Africa and Latin America. Coffees (T4500) are made by…

  • Amora Coffee

    Mongolia

    This cute cafe, located on the southwestern side of the town square, is popular with the young, hip Mongolian kids of Sükhbaatar; it feels like a 1950s…

  • Erdenes Plaza

    Mongolia

    Ready to get down? This complex includes a karaoke pub, small cinema (most movies are shown in Mongolian, but some Hollywood blockbusters have subtitles),…

  • Vegas

    Ulaanbaatar

    Located in the basement of the landmark Blue Sky Tower is this bunker-like nightclub that runs a variety of events through the week. Expect anything from…

  • Chinggis Beer Club

    Ulaanbaatar

    Enjoy a pint of Chinggis while watching the brewers in action at this German-style tavern that produces this popular brand of Mongolian beer. There's also…

  • Blue Sky Lounge

    Ulaanbaatar

    This cocktail bar at the top of the iconic Blue Sky Tower is a stylish place for a drink. There's great views, as expected, and it also does a menu of…

  • Ikh Mongol

    Ulaanbaatar

    Jugs o' beer to fill your gut (T4500 for 500ml), daily live music (9pm) and a large beer patio built on two levels. It’s located on the east side of the…

  • 18cm Lounge Bar

    Ulaanbaatar

    One of the few LGBT options in Ulaanbaatar, this lively city bar is popular with a young gay and lesbian crowd (girl's night on Wednesdays), but it's…

  • Salm Brau Pub

    Ulaanbaatar

    A part of the all-encompassing Modern Mongol chain, this resto-pub is noteworthy for brewing its own beer using traditional Austrian techniques. Most folk…

  • Double Shot Coffee & Cocktail

    Ulaanbaatar

    As well as its eponymous coffee (from T4000) and cocktails, this smart Western-style cafe is a handy pit stop for its excellent range of leaf and fruit…

  • Mojito Cocktail House

    Ulaanbaatar

    A hip spot for drinking and meeting Ulaanbaatar's young urbanites. Unsurprisingly, mojitos are the house speciality, but there's some good tiki…

  • Sky Lounge

    Mongolia

    This bar, which occupies the top floor of a high-rise apartment block, goes all in for the high-roller-in-a-penthouse vibe, with varying degrees of…

  • Grand Khaan Irish Pub

    Ulaanbaatar

    In summertime it seems like half of Ulaanbaatar is crowded onto the deck of this old standby. Order a pint and join them. The pub-grub menu includes Irish…

  • Cafe 9

    Ulaanbaatar

    This unpretentious neighbourhood cafe, popular with students, serves a range of coffees (T4700 to T6000), teas and smoothies. The baristas are proud of…

  • Crown Nightclub

    Western Mongolia

    Khovd's answer to Ministry of Sound, this basement venue has a look-at-me DJ, big booth seating and beer by the bottle (Heineken T5000), plus karaoke and…

  • Lux

    Mongolia

    Lux feels like a sleazy millionaire's idea of what a club should look like – all polished floors and moulded bar stools and music that's loud. WHAT!? WE…

  • Winners Pub

    Mongolia

    This vaguely footy-and-beer-themed pub sports English Premier League paraphernalia on the walls and comfy red leather sofas. It also serves a variety of…

  • Rock Sugar

    Ulaanbaatar

    It's standing room only on weekends at this popular cocktail bar where local 20-somethings mix and mingle. Food (from T11,500) is also served and the…

  • Terrace Bar

    Ulaanbaatar

    Only open when the sun is shining, this sneaky outdoor beer garden does charcoal-barbecued meats and has cold beers on tap. It's on the 2nd floor of the…

  • Smile Pub

    Mongolia

    The youngsters patronise this place, which has a small disco upstairs from a restaurant. Off the street that runs west from the northwest corner of the…

  • Irish Pub

    Western Mongolia

    'Least Irish Irish Pub' is a hotly contested category of establishment worldwide, but we may have a winner here. That said, it's rather snazzy inside,…

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