Copenhagen is the capital of Denmark, a harbour city known for Nyhavn, Tivoli Gardens, royal palaces, design, cycling and some of Europe's best restaurants.
Copenhagen's nightlife is compact, relaxed and centred on cocktail bars, craft-beer taprooms, music venues and clubs. The main districts are Vesterbro and the Kødbyen (Meatpacking District) for bars and clubs, Nørrebro for pubs and live music, Indre By for cocktail bars and hotel lounges, and Refshaleøen for summer warehouse events. Most bars are walkable from one another and the city is safe, with a lively crowd from Thursday to Saturday.
A mix of award-winning cocktail bars, craft-beer pubs, wine bars, jazz clubs and electronic-music clubs. Clubs tend to open late, and dancing continues until 5:00-6:00 AM on weekends. Check the venue programme before going.
At a glance
- Peak hours
- Bars 8 PM-1 AM; clubs and concert venues from 11 PM-5 AM on Friday and Saturday.
- Average drink
- Beer DKK 55-85 (about USD 9-13); glass of wine DKK 80-120 (about USD 12-19); cocktail DKK 115-175 (about USD 18-27); spirits DKK 70-120 (about USD 11-19).
- Dress code
- Smart casual at hotel bars such as Nimb and cocktail bars like Ruby; jeans and clean sneakers are fine almost everywhere; clubs prefer stylish casual.
- Cover charge
- Hours, line-ups and prices change; confirm on the venue website before going, especially for clubs, concert halls and seasonal venues.
Nightlife districts
Where the action happens after dark.
Vesterbro and Kødbyen (Meatpacking District)
The densest cluster of bars and clubs, from Jolene Bar and Lidkoeb to late-night Vesterbro on Istedgade and Vesterbrogade; the former meatpacking halls host bars, clubs and restaurants.
Best for: Bar hopping, cocktails and late-night dancing
Indre By (Strøget, Latin Quarter, Nyhavn)
Wine cellars, hotel bars and traditional pubs such as Hviids Vinstue, Palæ Bar and Ruby around Nybrogade and Kongens Nytorv.
Best for: Cocktails, wine and relaxed evening drinks
Nørrebro
Live music, student bars and craft-beer taprooms around Guldbergsgade, Blågårdsgade and Ravnsborggade.
Best for: Live music, cheap beer and local pubs
Christianshavn and Christiania
Canal-side bars and Christiania's Loppen concert venue.
Best for: Alternative concerts and canal-side drinks
Bars & pubs
Where locals drink.
Ruby
A cocktail bar in a restored 18th-century townhouse at Nybrogade, serving classic and signature cocktails in dark, candlelit rooms.
Known for: Signature cocktails in a townhouse setting
Nybrogade 10, 1203 København K
Lidkoeb
A multi-floor Vesterbro townhouse bar with a whisky room, fireplace and roof terrace; known for creative cocktails and bar food.
Known for: Cocktails and whisky in a townhouse
Vesterbrogade 72B, 1620 København V
Jolene Bar
A bar in the Meatpacking District with DJ sets, a small dance floor and a laid-back crowd.
Known for: Affordable drinks and DJ nights
Flæsketorvet 81, 1711 København V
Mikkeller Bar
The original taproom of Mikkeller, the Danish craft brewer, with about 20 taps of experimental beers in a minimalist room.
Known for: Craft beers on tap
Viktoriagade 8B, 1655 København V
Nimb Bar
The cocktail bar of the Nimb hotel inside Tivoli Gardens, with a lounge and terrace and cocktails served with garden views.
Known for: Garden cocktails in Tivoli
Bernstorffsgade 5, 1577 København V
Hviids Vinstue
A wine bar in an 18th-century building facing Kongens Nytorv, one of Copenhagen's oldest taverns, serving wine, beer and snacks in a wood-panelled room.
Known for: Old-world tavern drinks
Kongens Nytorv 19, 1050 København K
Palæ Bar
A traditional bar near Kongens Nytorv, long known as an artists' hangout, with a local crowd and modest prices.
Known for: Historic, modestly priced drinks
Ny Kongensgade 7, 1472 København K
Taphouse
A beer bar with about 60 taps of Danish and international craft beer, near the Latin Quarter.
Known for: Wide craft-beer selection
Lavendelstræde 15, 1462 København K
Centralhjørnet
One of Copenhagen's oldest gay bars, welcoming to everyone, near Strøget.
Known for: Historic LGBTQ+ bar
Kattesundet 18, 1458 København K
Mojo Blues Bar
A blues club that has hosted live music nightly for decades, with a small stage and a loyal local crowd.
Known for: Nightly live blues
Løngangstræde 21C, 1468 København K
Clubs
For dancing into the early hours.
Culture Box
One of Copenhagen's best-known electronic-music clubs, with a main room and a smaller side room, near Kongens Have.
Cover: Event-dependent; check culture-box.com
Hours: Typically Fri-Sat 11:00 PM-6:00 AM; other days by programme (confirm at culture-box.com)
VEGA
A major concert hall and club complex in Vesterbro: Store Vega for large concerts, Lille Vega and Ideal Bar for smaller shows and late-night parties.
Cover: Ticketed; typically DKK 200-600 (about USD 31-93) for concerts, check vega.dk
Hours: Event-dependent; see vega.dk
Rust
A Nørrebro club with a concert room and dance floor, hosting parties and live acts for a young crowd.
Cover: Event-dependent; check rust.dk
Hours: Typically Thu-Sat from 11:00 PM; concerts earlier (confirm at rust.dk)
Jazzhus Montmartre
A historic jazz club with international and Danish concerts, near Kongens Nytorv.
Cover: Ticketed; check jazzhusmontmartre.dk
Hours: Event-dependent; see jazzhusmontmartre.dk
Loppen
A live-music venue in Christiania that has hosted rock, punk and folk acts for decades.
Cover: Ticketed; check loppen.dk
Hours: Event-dependent; see loppen.dk
Pumpehuset
A mid-sized concert hall near the Latin Quarter, hosting rock, pop and club nights.
Cover: Ticketed; check pumpehuset.dk
Hours: Event-dependent; see pumpehuset.dk
Live entertainment
Music, theatre, and performance venues.
Nightlife tips
Stay safe and have fun.
Bars fill from 8:00 PM and clubs from midnight; arriving earlier means paying for an empty room.
Metro lines M1, M2, M3 and M4 run 24 hours a day; S-trains run all night on Friday and Saturday; plan the journey on the Rejseplanen or DOT app.
Taxis are metered but expensive; Dantaxi is reached on +45 70 25 25 25, or use the Bolt app for a quote.
Beer at a bar costs DKK 55-85 (about USD 9-13); supermarket beer is far cheaper but drinking in some public spaces is restricted.
Clubs check ID at the door; carry a passport or photo copy. The legal age for buying spirits is 18.
Carry a card: many bars are cashless. Pickpocketing occurs on Strøget and in Vesterbro at night; keep phones and wallets in front pockets.
The emergency number for police, fire and ambulance is 112; for non-urgent police matters call 114.