Dance clubs, live music, rooftop bars, speakeasies, LGBTQ+ venues, listening bars and late-night dives in Bordeaux.
Dance clubs, live music, rooftop bars, speakeasies, LGBTQ+ nightlife, listening bars and late-night dives across Bordeaux, with where to go and what is worth the late night.
I.Boat in Bordeaux's Bacalan is the converted-ferry techno club anchored on the Bassin a flot, with a vibrating hold, a summer rooftop and a regular.
Tip: Tickets €10 to €30 on Shotgun; the terrace opens at 18:00 from May to September for sunset DJ sets.
Le Bootleg in Bordeaux's Saint-Pierre is the small-room electronic club on Rue des Boucheries, with a dark dancefloor, a regular emerging-French-DJ programme.
Tip: Tickets €8 to €15 on Shotgun; the venue is small, so book ahead for headline nights.
Fiesta Latina in Bordeaux's Saint-Croix is the Quai de Paludate salsa club, with free salsa lessons before the floor opens and a regular Latin-American DJ.
Tip: Free salsa class from 21:00 every Friday; entry from 22:00, drinks from €8.
Calle Ocho in Bordeaux's Saint-Pierre is the Rue des Piliers de Tutelle Cuban club, with mojitos, live salsa lessons on Wednesdays and a small dance floor.
Tip: Wednesday and Thursday are the salsa-lesson nights; the floor is most crowded Friday from midnight.
Rock School Barbey in Bordeaux's Saint-Croix is the 700-capacity standing-room venue on Cours Barbey that has booked touring rock, indie and electronic acts.
Tip: Tickets typically €18 to €35 on the venue site; the upper balcony is the easier sightline for tall bands.
Le Comptoir du Jazz in Bordeaux's Saint-Croix is the long-running live-music bar on Quai de Paludate, with nightly jazz sets from 21:30, a working dinner.
Tip: No cover most weeknights; the front stools fill by 21:00 for the first set so arrive early.
Le Caillou Jazz in Bordeaux's Bastide is the bistro and jazz club at the Botanical Garden, with concerts Wednesday to Saturday, a working dinner menu.
Tip: Music is free with a drink or meal purchase; sit on the terrace in summer for the garden setting.
Krakatoa in Merignac, just west of Bordeaux, is the 1,000-capacity indie and alt-rock venue with a serious touring programme of European and American acts.
Tip: Tram A from central Bordeaux to Pin Galant takes 25 minutes; last tram back is around 00:30.
Le Cesar Piano Bar in Bordeaux's Golden Triangle is the Allees de Tourny piano bar with nightly piano jazz and chanson programmes, a serious cocktail list.
Tip: No cover most weeknights; cocktails from €14, the front banquette gets the best view of the piano.
Mama Shelter Rooftop in Bordeaux's Saint-Pierre is the seventh-floor terrace of the Philippe Starck-designed hotel, with one of the only working rooftop.
Tip: Opens April to October; no reservations on the deck, only at the indoor bar.
Yndo Rooftop on Rue Abbe de l'Epee is the boutique hotel's small summer rooftop, with a tight cocktail list, charcuterie and an elevated view.
Tip: Reservation only; the rooftop opens in May and runs through September with weather permitting.
Le Night Beach at Darwin Ecosysteme is the summer outdoor bar on the Garonne quays in Bordeaux's Bacalan, with a sand floor, DJ sets and a young alternative.
Tip: Open June through September; tram A to Stalingrad then walk over the Pont de Pierre.
Symbiose Speakeasy in Bordeaux's Chartrons is the hidden cocktail bar behind the bookshelf at Symbiose, with homemade syrups, forgotten ingredients.
Tip: No reservations on the speakeasy side; arrive 19:00 to claim a stool or stay through dinner for a guaranteed seat.
Houdini in Bordeaux's Saint-Pierre is the reservation-only magic-themed cocktail bar on Rue Saint-Sernin, with magician-bartenders performing during.
Tip: Reservation only by phone; performances run during 90-minute slots, two slots per evening.
ApOthEk in Bordeaux's Saint-Pierre is the dim-lit cocktail bar on Rue du Cancera with a menu of refined creations, a strict no-Mojito posture.
Tip: Strong dress code; book a back-room table for the quietest setting.
BHV in Bordeaux's Saint-Pierre is the gay and lesbian bar on Rue des Trois Conils, with weekly theme nights, drag shows and the longest-running LGBT-led.
Tip: Theme nights run Thursday through Saturday from 22:00; drag shows usually on the first Saturday of the month.
Coco Loko in Bordeaux's Saint-Pierre is the two-floor LGBT bar on Rue de l'Equerre, with pop downstairs and electronic upstairs, and resident host Mlle Coco.
Tip: Drag nights typically Thursday and Saturday; upstairs floor only opens after 22:00.
Ultra Klubs in Bordeaux's Saint-Pierre is the LGBT-friendly nightclub on Rue des Boucheries, with late-night house and dance, guest DJs, live shows.
Tip: Door from midnight Thursday to Saturday only; arrive before 02:00 for the strongest dance-floor lineup.
Le Trou Duck in Bordeaux's Saint-Pierre is the small LGBT bar on Rue des Boucheries with an intimate terrace and a late-evening drag-show programme.
Tip: Drag shows kick in around 22:30; arrive early for terrace seating before the show.
Vintage Bar in Bordeaux's Saint-Pierre is the Quai Louis XVIII rum bar with vinyl spinning on the wall, soul and jazz programming and over 150 rum references.
Tip: Daily Happy Hour 16:00-20:00; the back room is the quietest listening corner.
Le Grand Bar Castan in Bordeaux's Saint-Pierre is the 1898 grotto-style bar on Quai de la Douane, with a classic listening atmosphere, background jazz.
Tip: Visit at 18:00 for the half-empty room and a chance to photograph the grotto interior properly.
Le Cesar Piano Bar in Bordeaux's Golden Triangle is the Allees de Tourny piano-jazz listening room, with nightly piano sets and one of the city's calmer.
Tip: Cocktails from €14; no cover most nights.
Mangez-Moi in Bordeaux's Saint-Pierre is the late-night kebab and burger counter on Rue Sainte-Catherine, with €6 menus that have kept students fed.
Tip: Kitchen runs until 02:00; cards accepted but the queue at 23:00 is the longest.
Le Bar du Coin in Bordeaux's Saint-Michel is the cheap neighbourhood dive on Place Saint-Michel, with €3 pints, a jukebox in the corner and a regulars-only.
Tip: Pints are some of the cheapest in central Bordeaux; the terrace looks straight at the basilica.
Auberge Espagnole in Bordeaux's Saint-Pierre is the Rue Buhan late-night Spanish bar near Porte Cailhau, with paella, pintxos and Spanish wines.
Tip: Last orders at 23:30; the paella for two takes 25 minutes so order early.