Welcome to Taipei’s premier nightlife guide.
On this page, you’ll discover the vibrant and varied nightlife scene in Taipei. You’ll find the perfect venue for you and your preferred night out. Whether you want to go all-out clubbing or if you’d like a more laid back dinner and drinks with a view, we’ve got your covered.
Enjoy!
Introducing Taipei
Taipei, officially known as Taipei City, is the capital and a special municipality of Taiwan (officially the Republic of China, “ROC”). Located in the northern part of the Island of Taiwan, Taipei City is an enclave of the municipality of New Taipei City that sits about 25 km (16 mi) southwest of the northern port city Keelung. Most of the city is located in the Taipei Basin, an ancient lakebed. The basin is bounded by the relatively narrow valleys of the Keelung and Xindian rivers, which join to form the Tamsui River along the city’s western border.
Taipei is home to various world-famous architectural or cultural landmarks, which include Taipei 101, Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, DalongdongBaoan Temple, Hsing Tian Kong, Lungshan Temple of Manka, National Palace Museum, Presidential Office Building, Taipei Guest House, Ximending, and several night markets dispersed throughout the city. Natural features such as Maokong, Yangmingshan, and hot springs are also well known to international visitors.
Here in this article, we will provide all the necessary information related to the nightlife features of Taipei, including a comprehensive list of the best destinations. You will find all the tools and necessary information here to organize your holidays in Taipei the most complete way to make your journey a beautiful experience.
The Nightlife of Taipei
Offering an awesome nightlife attraction, one thing is for sure, Taipei has plenty of places to keep you entertained. Whether by its atmosphere, the type of music, its decoration, the drinks offered or the clientele (students, locals or foreigners), each club and bar that we present in this article is absolutely unique. Various theme nights or events are organized in clubs and bars like the famous Ladies Nights which takes place every Wednesday in the majority of clubs, offering free entry and drinks for women all night long. So here we have compiled this list of what we believe are the top activities to do in Taipei, check out our recommended options here for the best venues available in Taipei and all are ready to make you happy while you are enjoying your nightlife experience over there:
Snake Soup at Hua Xi
Hua Xi Night Market is known by another name: Snake Alley. In certain parts of this collection of stalls, you can have snake soup cooked right in front of you, starting from the skinning of the snake down to the cooking. It may even have the largest collection of snake-selling stalls in Taiwan, from those selling live ones to those selling wine and medicine.
Experience the City from Taipei-101
Once the world’s tallest building (2004-2010), Taipei 101 is Taiwan’s most iconic structure and is shaped like a stalk of bamboo. It retains the titles for the tallest green building and having the world’s highest Starbucks. The best way to experience Taipei 101 is to ride the world’s fastest elevator up to the observation deck on the 89th to 91st floors. Make sure to check out the 720-ton stabilizer ball hanging in the center, which prevents Taipei from falling during earthquakes.
Elephant Mountain for a Bird’s Eye View of Taipei City
If you’ve been to Taipei before, you’ve probably ticked off the basic tourist must-do: a trip to the top of Taipei 101. For those seeking something unique, however, here is one better: free views of Taipei 101 and the entire city skyline, with exercise to boot! Take the trail up Elephant Mountain – a 20-minute hike with rest stops and viewpoints along the way. Go at sunset to watch the views change from daytime Taipei to a dazzling array of lights. Bonus: Taipei 101 lights up in the seven colors of the rainbow for each different day of the week!
Hop of the Glass-Floor Gondola to Maokong
Head to the end of the Taipei Zoo MRT line to go for a ride on the Maokong Gondola. The 4-kilometer trip into the hills in the southeast of Taipei takes approximately 30 minutes. To make the best of the highly scenic ride, make sure to get in the correct line for the glass-bottomed “Crystal Cabins”! The ride will take you over fields of Baozhong oolong tea and at the top, there are several traditional tea houses with views and hiking trails such as the one to Silver Stream Cave and Waterfall.
Get a Traditional Knife Massage
While it may sound like a strange new alternative form of healing, knife massages go back over 2000 years in Chinese culture. Recently there has been a revival of traditional knife massage in Taipei.
Taipei Night Markets
Taipei’s street food is world-renowned, and you simply cannot visit Taipei without spending an evening strolling one or more of the city’s famed night markets. In fact, by tourist numbers, Taipei night markets are the country’s No. 1 tourist attraction, and 10-night market vendors are even recognized on the Michelin Bib Gourmand list.
Best Bars in Taipei
Fourplay
Guests at Fourplay won’t have to bother with a menu, because there isn’t one. Rather than choose from a set list of drinks, thirsty travelers can simply tell the bartender what they are in the mood for and then receive a drink fitting their tastes. The bartenders are true mixologists, crafting playful, colorful cocktails that make the bar more of an experience than a simple watering hole. While tables and booths are available, guests can opt for bar seating to watch the mixing in action.
Hanko 60
Hanko 60 is a hidden gem of a bar tucked behind an old theatre. To gain entry, you must push a button at the door where you will arrive at this secretive and magical bar. A must-try cocktail here is the Cinema drink, which plays to the theatre vibe and has real popcorn spread over the top of the cocktail.
Ximen Beer Bar
Come here for more of a pandemonium type of atmosphere as there will be loud music and constant loud conversations. It is no wonder, as Ximen Beer Bar is located in the youth entertainment district of Taipei. With rotating beer selections, come here for the best beers Taiwan has to offer. Whether it is a draft or craft beer, Ximen Beer Bar has you covered.
Alchemy Speakeasy Bar Taipei
Across the street from Taipei 101, there is one of the jewels of City’s bar scene, up on the second floor. Alchemy Speakeasy is your typical speakeasy bar with wooden furnishings to give it a classy finish. Guests that visits here come for their great cocktails – served in a wooden box and wrapped in newspaper – and live jazz music.
Ounce
Ounce is Taipei’s first speakeasy bar and recreates a 1920s American Prohibition vibe particularly well, to the extent that it even looks like an espresso bar from the outside. The décor is heavy on the dark woods, giving the bar a cozy, secretive feel. With a huge range of raw ingredients to work with, the bartenders are the stars of the show, throwing together unique concoctions with impressive displays of skill and dexterity, as well as building the fun and friendly atmosphere.
Revolver
If you are looking for a place you can listen to some excellent underground tunes, it is here at Revolver. Spread over the first two floors, there are live bands playing and DJs spinning the hits. Escape the music on the third floor and chill at the lounge where they serve craft, local, and imported beers.
The Brass Monkey
Styled along the lines of a western sports bar, The Brass Monkey is well-liked among the city’s expat crowd but draws a mixed and lively bunch. The place is popular for it’s numerous flat-screen televisions showing major sporting events from around the world, as well as foosball tables, dartboards, and fairly cheap drinks. The quiz nights are fun, the DJs keep up a lively vibe and the owners are friendly and popular, keeping the place pretty busy most nights.
Woobar
For sprawling views of Taipei, head up to the Woobar on top of the W Taipei hotel. This place is the home of pool parties and Taipei’s upscale party crowd. Sip on one of their signature drinks as you party the night away while taking in those skyline views.
Brown Sugar
For live music and a change of pace from Taipei’s usual nightlife, grab a drink at Brown Sugar, one of the best jazz bars in the city. Sleek sofas and leather armchairs fill the space, creating cozy nooks where friends can gather and enjoy drinks. Though the lounge provides top-notch cocktails and spirits, it is especially known for its impressive wine list. For dinner, visitors can sample the bar’s food menu, with yummy options including chicken risotto, clam chowder, and blueberry crème cake. Overall, Brown Sugar offers a refined atmosphere and a full experience for a night out.
On Tap
With a heavy British-influence, On Tap is one of the best bars to grab a pint of beer. It is not known as a sports bar, On Tap does have numerous big-screen TVs where guests can watch matches from around the world. Needless to say, this pub is a very sociable one. When you come here, you can expect a steady stream of European beers to be flowing into your glass.
Best Bar Restaurants Taipei
Da Wan BBQ
This restaurant is famous for a Japanese cooking style called Yakiniku, a term meaning grilled meat. Outfitted with only one table and limited bar seating, the tiny restaurant is located in the commercial Daan District. Guests can order from a variety of meat options, including beef, pork, and shrimp. While most Yakiniku restaurants require guests to cook for themselves, the staff members here will do all the cooking.
The Kitchen Table
For anyone who can’t decide on what to eat for dinner, the international variety offered by The Kitchen Table is the perfect solution. This restaurant offers an expansive selection, with a full breakfast buffet in the morning, a light lunch buffet with colorful desserts in the afternoon, and a more hearty dinner buffet in the evening. During dinner, guests can indulge in a variety of international dishes, from Yorkshire pudding and Italian wood-fire pizza to Chinese dim sum and roasted duck. There is also a well-stocked seafood bar, as well as a dessert station where guests can top off the evening with some homemade sorbet.
Raw
For Taipei’s single-best fine dining experience, head to Raw, where acclaimed chef André Chiang serves a carefully curated tasting menu in a stunning space. Chiang is a Taiwan native who offers traditional local fare with a Western twist. The experience might start with giant oysters topped with tiny pearls of sago followed by fatty pork over rice creatively layered with puffed rice and mushrooms. The star dish is the duck breast.
RyuGin Taipei
One of the most expensive tables in town, RyuGin is also one of the city’s finest kaiseki destinations. It hails from the Roppongi district of Tokyo, where chef Seiji Yamamoto was awarded three coveted Michelin stars for his avant-garde take on Japanese fine dining. The Taipei location is appropriately fixated on Taiwanese ingredients – imagine lightly grilled fish sprinkled with mullet roe, or wax apple, a fruit unique to the south and Southeast Asia, marinated in ginger syrup.
SunnyHills
Shortcakes stuffed with condensed pineapple jam are unique to Taiwan and commonly given out as presents. While other companies might add winter melon to cut costs, SunnyHills’ recipe is pure pineapple and made by hand. The product only has a 15-day shelf life, so don’t wait to scarf these down.
My Stove
Fatty pork over rice is a splendid Taiwanese comfort dish and has become, over the years, the main draw at this quaint Taiwanese restaurant, an intentional flashback with lanterns and papered walls. It is all small shared plates, and both the fried squid balls and whitecut chicken are lovely ways to start. There is also creamy mapo tofu cooked with eggplant and sesame oil-laced chicken over sticky rice.
Ay-Chung Flour-Rice Noodle
Pig intestine vermicelli served in a thick pottage soup sounds unconventional, but don’t overlook it. The silky-thin rice vermicelli, cooked in a starch-heavy broth of aromatics, harmonizes with the chopped intestines, which have a rubbery texture and are not at all overpowering. Sambal on the side is a wonderful addition for spice lovers.
Shao Shao Ke
Shao Shao Ke is an ode to the cuisine of Shaanxi, a province in China with a strong love for cumin and noodles. On the menu, anything with lamb and noodles is a fair game. This may be the only place in town with fried Chinese cheese: Served in deepfried dough and topped with powdered sugar, the dish must be reserved ahead of time. Paomo, crumbled flatbread served in broth, is also a must.
Shin Yeh
While Shin Yeh has locations all throughout Taipei, this one has the best view in town, from the 85th floor of Taipei 101 – the tallest building on the island (and the tallest building in the world until 2010). It is a grand space with crystal chandeliers and white tablecloths, yet the food is approachable. Think squid, deep-fried oysters, lots of lobster, and heaps of abalone.
Best Nightclubs in Taipei
45 Pub
45 Pub is a student hangout and, because it is located near the National Taiwan Normal University, it attracts a huge crowd. This club offers inexpensive drinks and happy hours every night. It gets quite noisy, but the atmosphere is excellent. Another advantage is that it has no dress code and no cover charge.
Blue Note
Blue Note is a very popular music venue near the Shida Night Market in the Da’an district. It hosts many live jazz bands on Friday and Saturday evenings, with performances usually kicking off around 9.30 pm. On live music nights, there is usually a small cover fee, which also gets you 1 drink. It is a mostly sized place, so it is best to be here early if you want to grab a table in a cozy and comfortable environment.
Box Nightclub
Box Nightclub has a bright look on the outside, with a gritty, simple décor inside. Being close to Shida University and playing hip hop and R&B, it has a young crowd of students and expats. As with many clubs in Taipei, the cover charge pays for all you can drink. Lacking the posh décor of the Xinyi clubs, it is friendlier and more approachable, particularly given that the venue is smaller than many, giving it an intimate feel.
M Taipei
M Taipei is the city’s top Latin music nightspot and is particularly popular with expats and international students. The music selection includes salsa, jazz, and the Caribbean, alongside electro, pop and hip hop. The entry fee covers all you can drink and there are lots of special party nights, with bonus discounts and drinks and special prizes if you bring the right kind of ID or dress right. It is indeed a fun and lively place, it often has a long queue outside, in spite of it’s very late opening time, and attracts a very wide age range.
OMNI
Omni opened in 2015 in a space previously occupied by another club, Luxy. The first thing you notice about Omni is its gorgeous interior. There is also a top-of-the-line sound system that pumps out dance music, while well-known international DJs appear on a monthly basis. Omni attracts a wide range of customers, all of whom tend to get rather dressed up for the night. If you are looking to meet some suave men or gorgeous women, this is a good place to start.
Room 18
Room 18 is a well-known club that was opened by Taiwanese celebrity Tuo Zong Kang in 2001. The club’s interior is as extravagant as you’d expect, while the music is also top quality. There is even a good chance that you might bump into some of the city’s celebrities and business elite on weekends. The club has multiple dance areas, VIP seating and an irregular style of construction. The main dance floor holds around 1,000 people, many of whom move back and forth from the seated drinking areas.
LAVA
Just like Room 18, Lava is located in the basement of the Neo19 shopping mall. The cost of entrance includes all-you-can-drink alcohol, making this the perfect destination for people looking to drink and dance the night away. Compared to the previous two clubs, Lava tends to attract a younger crowd – perhaps due to the cheap alcohol – and seems like a place where college students go to the party.
Chess
Originally located near Yongchun Station, Chess has grown in popularity since moving to ATT 4 FUN, one of the shopping malls in the highly competitive and club-laden Xinyi District. Many of my friends, Westerners, in particular, are fans of Chess and upon stepping inside the club you may wonder whether you are still in Taiwan. The club’s relocation also resulted in a much larger dance floor with room for more than 1,000 people.
Myst
Arguably Taipei’s liveliest club right now, Myst has an extravagant interior with indoor pools, waterfalls and a terrace with beautiful views of Taipei 101. The club generally attracts a crowd in their mid-20s to late-30s, which results in a slightly more relaxed vibe. There is only one level but the dance floor could probably accommodate several thousand people and focuses on EDM and American pop music.
Conclusion
Let us sum up things, here in this article we went through a brief introduction of Taipei along with a brief introduction of city attractions. We also went through different activities and places to enjoy the nightlife of the City.
We then went through a comprehensive list of bars available in the city. These exotic and swanky bars are just awesome and worth visiting. No doubt, Taipei has some of the classic and cozy bars to cater to your boozing needs. To fulfill your food craving we also looked at a list of bar-restaurants that provide delicious and exotic culinary experience along with a touch of booze. This delightful and amazing combination of food and booze pushes the limits of nightlife entertainment and adds great value to your journey. And finally, we explored a detailed list of best nightclubs of the city that provide premium night-time entertainment for your optimum satisfaction.
Make sure to try the above recommendations which will add value to your tour, so that you won’t regret yourself choosing bad options.
