Józef K in Gdańsk's Main Town is the Kafka-named cult cafe-bar at the top of ul. Piwna near St Mary's, a bookshelf-ceilinged bohemian room with retro armchairs, fruit vodkas and Browar Amber pours that runs as cafe by day and bar by night.
Tip: After 22:00 it tips into bar mode; ask for the Soplica plum vodka or the signature Mr Rosewater. Cash and card both work.
Address: ul. Piwna 1/2, 80-831 Gdańsk
Bruderschaft in Gdańsk's Main Town is the underground LGBT-friendly pub on ul. Długa opened 2012, with live jazz and blues most Wednesdays and Thursdays and a vinyl night that runs into the early hours.
Tip: Take the basement stairway on ul. Długa; Wednesday jazz jams start 20:30. Pints 12-16 PLN, cocktails 25-38 PLN.
Pub Red Light in Gdańsk's Main Town is the red-walled gay-friendly pub off ul. Piwna near St Mary's Basilica, with deep armchairs upstairs, a basement dance floor at weekends and two terraces that catch the afternoon sun.
Tip: Entrance is from ul. Kaletnicza, not ul. Piwna proper. Happy hour from 14:00; basement opens 22:00 Friday and Saturday.
Pijalnia Wódki i Piwa on Długi Targ in Gdańsk's Main Town is the PRL-era nostalgia bar with transistor radios on the shelves and communist posters on the walls, cheap shots and beer on tap until 05:00 on Saturday.
Tip: Entrance from ul. Kuśnierska around the side; shots and pickled-herring snacks from 7 PLN. Loud after 23:00 once the students arrive.
HAH Gdańsk on ul. Malarzy in the Stocznia shipyard is the Tri-City outpost of the national HAH gay-club chain, with a dance floor that runs queer-first Friday and Saturday nights and drag, karaoke and themed Sundays.
Tip: Friday and Saturday from 22:00; the Stocznia entrance is signposted from the 100cznia containers. Tickets on goingapp.pl, usually 25-40 PLN.
Bruderschaft in Gdańsk's Main Town is the underground LGBT-friendly pub on ul. Długa opened 2012, with live jazz and blues most Wednesdays and Thursdays and a vinyl night that runs into the early hours.
Tip: Take the basement stairway on ul. Długa; Wednesday jazz jams start 20:30. Pints 12-16 PLN, cocktails 25-38 PLN.
Pub Red Light in Gdańsk's Main Town is the red-walled gay-friendly pub off ul. Piwna near St Mary's Basilica, with deep armchairs upstairs, a basement dance floor at weekends and two terraces that catch the afternoon sun.
Tip: Entrance is from ul. Kaletnicza, not ul. Piwna proper. Happy hour from 14:00; basement opens 22:00 Friday and Saturday.
Sonar Record Store in Gdańsk's Wrzeszcz is the independent vinyl shop opened 2020 on ul. Waryńskiego by Przemek Dremo, with two listening stations and a programme of in-store DJ sets and live performances on selected Saturdays.
Tip: Two listening turntables free for use; the modern-jazz and electronica racks are the deepest. Saturday in-stores from 16:00 in season.
Pijalnia Wódki i Piwa on Długi Targ in Gdańsk's Main Town is the PRL-era nostalgia bar with transistor radios on the shelves and communist posters on the walls, cheap shots and beer on tap until 05:00 on Saturday.
Tip: Entrance from ul. Kuśnierska around the side; shots and pickled-herring snacks from 7 PLN. Loud after 23:00 once the students arrive.
Café Lamus in Gdańsk's Old Town is the 1970s-throwback dive on ul. Lawendowa with heavy floral wallpaper, scavenged sofas and a bottled Polish craft beer list that anchors the city's hipster bar scene.
Tip: Entrance is from ul. Straganiarska around the side; deckchairs outside in summer. Bottled craft beers 13-22 PLN, occasional live jazz Thursdays.