Hue Nightlife - 18 Best Bars and Nightclubs (Vietnam)

I was in Hue for just 2 days on a stopover between Hanoi and Hoi An. I thought it was a pleasant town, with a fun nightlife, a laid-back vibe, some world-class attractions and excellent food.

If I had known beforehand, I would have skipped Hoi An, probably the most overrated destination in Vietnam, and I would have stayed in Hue for a few extra days.

This review is a summary of what I learned about partying in Hue.

Two nights were more than enough to visit all the major bars and nightclubs in the city. Almost all of them are concentrated in a small area between Doi Cung street and Chu Van An street, which also happens to be where most of the hotels are.

Within that perimeter, Pham Ngu Lao is the most happening nightlife street. It is crowded every night until 2 AM with a mix of backpackers, tourists and young Vietnamese.

Not too far from there, a few swanky nightclubs are scattered around and easy to reach by foot. They target almost exclusively Vietnamese, who often come in groups of males.

Top 18 Bars and Clubs in Hue
You can visit almost all these bars and clubs by walking on foot - 80% of them are in Pham Ngu Lao street! Start early because most venues close at midnight.

Brown Eyes
Brown Eyes is the busiest bar/club in Hue. It is cramped and dark, with a pool table and a bar on the side. It is packed from 9 PM until 3 or 4 AM with mostly drunk backpackers and a small number of freelance prostitutes. Prices are cheap (VND30,000 for a beer, VND80,000 for a cocktail, VND30,000 for a shot). Great for meeting people, especially in their small outdoor terrace. Music is Top 40 songs from 1980 until now.

Facebook: Brown Eyes Hue

DMZ
DMZ is a 3-storey building with a bar on the ground floor, a restaurant on the 2nd floor, and a sky garden on the 3rd. It is one of the most happening bars in Pham Ngu Lao street, thanks to its strategic corner location and its cheap prices (VND20,000 for a beer, VND60,000 for a cocktail). Mostly Western customers with a few Vietnamese girls as well (maybe prostitutes). Pool tables and a karaoke room available. Good for watching sports.

Facebook: DMZ Bar

Why Not Bar
Also a hostel (great location for party-goers: check the reviews here), this is a small pub with a far-west theme (wooden interior, staff with cowboy hats, red bricks, etc). It feels ancient but it is actually only a year old. A diverse crowd of mostly tourists and backpackers. Good food (burgers, steaks). Happy hour on Mojitos from 5 PM to 10.30 PM (buy 2 get 1).

Facebook: Why Not Bar



Asta Nightclub
A Vietnamese-style nightclub, similar to Phuong. Quite expensive (VND75,000 for a beer, VND120,000 for a glass of Whisky). Many chic Vietnamese ladies inside. Loud Vina House music or live bands, depending on the day. Sexy dancers. Closes at 2 AM.

Facebook: Asta Hue

Gecko
One of Pham Ngu Lao's trendiest bars. It is generally full, mostly with young Vietnamese. Nice balcony on the second floor. Average food, more expensive than average. Patience is needed to get served.

Facebook: Gecko

A copycat from the Vuvuzela chain, Vuvuzalo is a beer club with an outdoor garden and a closed, air-con indoor area. The latter is loud and full of young Vietnamese (not very different from a regular nightclub).

Facebook: Vuvuzalo Beer Club

A "hipster" dive bar with a friendly owner. Hip-hop/jazzy music at a low level. Mostly Vietnamese clients.

Facebook: 054 Café

This is an old-style, open-air Vietnamese beer club with loud techno music, giant screens (displaying sports) and sexy waitresses. Food is served but I would not recommend it because of the noise. It is next to the backpacker area so there seem to be always a few lost foreigners. Part of the Century Hotel Riverside.

Facebook: Century Beer Garden and Bar

Paradise bar restaurant.
Certainly not the most sophisticated bar in Hue, but perfect for chilling with a shisha and a beer. Pool table. It is in the open-air but there is an air-con room in the back. Average western food for less than VND90,000 per main course. Close at 12 AM.

Facebook: Paradise Hue

Le's Garden Bar
Not very crowded but relaxing and friendly. The crowd is mostly made of Vietnamese customers and older tourists who are only eating and having a quiet drink. Pool table and games available.

Facebook: Le's Garden Bar

Xuan Trang Café
This local restaurant is also a bar that serves very cheap beer (VND10,000 for a local one). Two floors. Young, relaxed crowd sitting on tiny stools. Vietnamese and Western food (price between VND30,000 and VND90,000).

Address: 42 Chu Van An

As elsewhere in Vietnam, it is relatively easy to chat to girls online in Hue and to ask them out on a date. In general, very little happen next except an invitation for a second date, and then a third, a fourth and a fifth.

You can read my article Best Online Dating Apps and Sites in Asia and Best Countries to Meet Asian Women for more information about dating Vietnamese girls.

The red light district of Hue is located around Ngự Bình street, a 15-minute ride from the city center. I haven't been there but based on information available online (in Vietnamese), there are several karaokes and massage parlors plus plus along this street, usually located within (short-time) hotels.

The Hoang Tu Hotel is one of them. It is openly girl-friendly and they are not hiding the fact that they target unwed couples searching for privacy (discreet check-in and parking). They also have a spa. The only problem is that you cannot book it directly online. Another place is called RP Massage Ngự Bình.

If you have visited one of these (or another venue), please leave a comment below.