10 bars in Ghent, editor-picked for bars open past midnight friday or saturday. Bars going past midnight on friday or saturday. All bars in Ghent.
Dok Brewing Company ★ 4.4
dok-noord · Dok-Noord 4B, 9000 Gent
Hours: Tue-Wed, Sun 11:00-23:00; Thu-Sat 11:00-01:00; Mon closed
Dok Brewing Company occupies a converted metal workshop at Dok Noord with 30 taps: their own house brews plus guest taps from Belgian craft breweries. Long.
Tip: Open Thursday to Saturday until 01:00; this is one of the few places in Dok Noord that works as a late-night destination.
Wijnbar ONA Nederkouter ★ 4.4
binnenstad · Nederkouter 71, 9000 Gent
Hours: Tue-Thu 16:00-23:00; Fri 16:00-00:00; Sat 14:00-00:00; Sun-Mon closed
Wijnbar ONA on the corner of Bagattenstraat and Nederkouter is Ona Van Reybrouck and Arne De Wilde's intimate natural-wine spot, opened in 2015.
Tip: Tuesday to Saturday until 8pm only; closed Sunday and Monday. Walk-ins fine early, reserve for after 18:00.
Edelrot Bar ★ 4.4
binnenstad · Belfortstraat 6, 9000 Gent
Hours: Mon-Thu 16:00-00:00; Fri-Sat 15:00-01:00; Sun 15:00-23:00
Edelrot functions as both a natural wine bar and a wild beer bar: the list includes wild-fermented saisons, spontaneous lambics and Belgian farmhouse ales.
Tip: Open from 15:00 Tuesday to Saturday; prices are genuinely fair for the quality of the natural wine selection.
Chubby Cheeks ★ 4.4
binnenstad · Onderbergen 33, 9000 Gent
Hours: Wed-Fri 18:00-01:00, Sat 16:00-01:00
Chubby Cheeks is a convivial bar-restaurant where a young team serves unusual natural wines by the glass alongside inventive small plates in a relaxed space.
Tip: Walk-ins welcome; Friday and Saturday evenings fill fast and bar seats give the easiest route in without a reservation.
De Dulle Griet ★ 4.3
vrijdagmarkt · Vrijdagmarkt 50, 9000 Gent
Hours: Mon 16:30-01:00; Tue-Sat 12:00-01:00; Sun 12:00-19:30
De Dulle Griet has over 500 Belgian beers and one famous ritual: surrender a shoe to the bar when ordering the Max, a 1-litre glass of Delirium Tremens.
Tip: Open from noon Tuesday to Saturday and noon Sunday; the shoe ritual is enforced. Arrive early on Friday evenings for a seat on the square.
Hotsy Totsy ★ 4.3
binnenstad · Hoogstraat 1, 9000 Gent
Hours: Mon 18:00-02:00, Tue-Fri 18:00-05:00, Sat-Sun 20:00-05:00
Hotsy Totsy has been injecting Ghent with blues and jazz since the 1970s. The Claus brothers' bar hosts live music most evenings from September to June.
Tip: Open Tuesday to Saturday from 18:15; closed Sunday and Monday. Summers are lighter programming; September to June is the season.
Rococo ★ 4.2
patershol · Corduwaniersstraat 57, 9000 Gent
Hours: Tue-Sun 21:00-01:00; Mon closed
Rococo is Betty's candlelit bar on the Patershol cobblestones. The single room is lit entirely by candles; the atmosphere is intimate and the conversation.
Tip: Opens after 21:00; arrives late and stay late. Betty runs the bar at her own pace.
Het Waterhuis aan de Bierkant ★ 4.1
groentenmarkt · Groentenmarkt 9, 9000 Gent
Hours: Mon-Tue 11:00-01:00; Wed-Sat 11:00-02:00; Sun 11:00-01:00
Waterhuis aan de Bierkant is a canal-side brown pub on the Groentenmarkt with 170 Belgian beers, 14 on draught and a packed waterside terrace.
Tip: Open from 11:00 daily; the terrace fills by 15:00 on sunny days. The canal views are best on evening visits before 21:00.
Trefpunt ★ 4.1
sint-jacobs · Bij Sint-Jacobs 18, 9000 Gent
Hours: Mon-Thu, Sat-Sun 17:00-03:00; Fri 16:00-03:00
Trefpunt is a music and theatre cafe run by the non-profit that launched the modern Ghent Festivities in 1970, hosting concerts almost every evening.
Tip: Monday concerts are free; doors typically from 17:00 weekdays, 15:00 Friday and Saturday. Check the Trefpunt programme before walking up.
Het Spijker ★ 4.0
city-centre · Pensmarkt 3, 9000 Gent
Hours: Daily 10:00-04:00
Het Spijker is a local pub set in a former granary, with a lounge on the second floor and two terraces: one facing the city centre, the other on the Leie.
Tip: Opens from 10:00 and closes when the last visitor leaves, often well past 02:00. The back terrace is best on warm afternoons.