4 late-night dives worth the night across Greece, editor-ranked. All Greece guides.
Brettos ★ 4.6 · Athens
plaka · Kydathineon 41, Athina 105 58
Brettos on Kydathineon in Plaka has run since 1909 as Athens' oldest distillery and one of Europe's oldest bars, with a backlit wall of multi-hued bottles and house-made ouzo, brandy, cherry and mastic liqueurs from old Smyrna recipes.
Tip: The back-bar wall of glowing bottles is the photo seat; order the house ouzo or the cherry liqueur on ice. Open daily 10:00 to 02:00; walk in.
Au Revoir ★ 4.4 · Athens
exarchia · Patision 136, Athina 112 57
Au Revoir on Patision Avenue in Kypseli has run since 1958 as the city's oldest cocktail bar, an Aristomenis Provelegios interior unchanged through the decades and the room that drew Frank Sinatra on a 1960s Athens visit.
Tip: Cash-only bar; the green-leather banquettes and the original 1950s decor are intact. Victoria Metro L1 is the closest stop; the room is small, arrive early.
Cantina Social ★ 4.2 · Athens
psyrri · Leokoriou 8, Athina 105 54
Cantina Social on Leokoriou in Psyrri is the hidden after-hours bar reached through a covered passage off the street, with cheap drinks, old industrial machines as decor and a DJ programme that runs until early morning.
Tip: Hard to find; take the unmarked passage from Leokoriou into the courtyard. Cash bar is fastest; Monastiraki Metro is the closest stop.
Off the Chain ★ 4.1 · Athens
exarchia · Zoodochou Pigis 25, Athina 106 81
Off the Chain on Zoodochou Pigis in Exarchia is the indie after-hours bar that opens after the rest of the neighbourhood closes, with heavy rock, metal and indie programming and free entry into the small hours.
Tip: Doors after the other Exarchia bars close; the rock-and-metal programme runs to dawn. Cash bar is faster; Omonia Metro is the closest stop.