Light Up the Night: A Local’s Guide to Beijing’s Hottest After-Dark Activities
Light Up the Night: A Local's Guide to Beijing's Hottest After-Dark Activities - Hit the Clubs at Sanlitun Bar Street
When the sun goes down in Beijing, the city's nightlife comes alive. One of the hottest destinations after dark is Sanlitun Bar Street. This energetic area is packed with trendy clubs, bars, and restaurants, making it a prime spot for partying into the wee hours.
Sanlitun Bar Street is located in the Chaoyang District and centers around two parallel streets: Gongti Beilu and Nansanlitun Lu. The scene here caters to an international crowd, so you'll rub shoulders with locals and expats alike. English is widely spoken, and the vibe is lively yet laidback.
One of the most iconic venues is Mix club, known for its excellent DJs and dance-filled atmosphere. The three-level space has an underground warehouse feel, neon lights, and thumping music. Mix draws big-name international DJs as well as talented locals spinning beats into the early morning.
Nearby is the multi-level club Frank's Place, housed in a historic building with a speakeasy vibe. Frank's Place has live music and DJs, along with craft cocktails and comfort food. The rooftop terrace here is perfect for enjoying the Beijing cityscape after dark.
Other lively nightspots along Bar Street include the Cuban-inspired Caribe, relaxed hangout Paddy O'Shea's, and Belgian beer bar Great Leap Brewing. This area truly has something for everyone, from craft brews to creative cocktails to booming dance floors.
In addition to the nightclubs, Sanlitun Bar Street is home to trendy eateries perfect for fueling up before a big night out. Stop into The Diner for classic American comfort food in a retro setting. Enjoy Spanish tapas and wines at La Social restaurant. Or try Michelin-recommended Sushiyama for creative sushi and seafood.
No Beijing bar crawl would be complete without sampling the local night market snacks after the clubs close down. Vendors along Bar Street sell favorites like lamb skewers, fried scallion pancakes, and quick noodles. It's the ideal way to soak up the night's revelry.
What else is in this post?
- Light Up the Night: A Local's Guide to Beijing's Hottest After-Dark Activities - Hit the Clubs at Sanlitun Bar Street
- Light Up the Night: A Local's Guide to Beijing's Hottest After-Dark Activities - Sing Your Heart Out at Houhai Lake Karaoke Bars
- Light Up the Night: A Local's Guide to Beijing's Hottest After-Dark Activities - Experience Traditional Chinese Performances at Liyuan Theatre
- Light Up the Night: A Local's Guide to Beijing's Hottest After-Dark Activities - Enjoy Acrobatics and Circus Shows at Chaoyang Theatre
- Light Up the Night: A Local's Guide to Beijing's Hottest After-Dark Activities - Wander Through the Stalls at Hongqiao Pearl Market
- Light Up the Night: A Local's Guide to Beijing's Hottest After-Dark Activities - Try Cocktails with a View at Atmosphere Bar
- Light Up the Night: A Local's Guide to Beijing's Hottest After-Dark Activities - Dance the Night Away at Mix Club
- Light Up the Night: A Local's Guide to Beijing's Hottest After-Dark Activities - Indulge in Late Night Street Food at Wangfujing Snack Street
Light Up the Night: A Local's Guide to Beijing's Hottest After-Dark Activities - Sing Your Heart Out at Houhai Lake Karaoke Bars
After a long day of sightseeing or work, few activities are more enjoyable than belting out your favorite tunes at one of Beijing's many karaoke establishments. For an atmospheric singing experience, head to the karaoke bars dotting the shores of scenic Houhai Lake. This lively area allows you to unwind over drinks, enjoy the lake views, and sing your heart out with friends.
Houhai Lake offers a magical setting for karaoke, with traditional hutong neighborhoods, historic courtyards, and the glittering waters of the lake itself. Tucked amongst the hustle and bustle are cozy karaoke venues where you can while away the evening hours singing popular Chinese and English hits.
One favorite is Cashbox Partyworld KTV, known for its excellent song selection and friendly service. Snag a private room with your group and take turns grabbing the mic for solo performances or lively duets. With thousands of Chinese and Western songs to choose from, you're sure to find beloved classics and guilty pleasure tunes to croon. The song list is frequently updated, so you can impress your friends with the hottest new chart-toppers.
After working up a thirst, order beer, wine, or spiral fruit plates to nibble on as you relax between songs. The music will pump through the room and out to the lake until the wee hours, as you fully embrace your inner rockstar. For those who need some liquid courage before stepping up to sing, take advantage of the bar to kickstart your karaoke courage.
Another top karaoke option is Partyworld KTV along the banks of Houhai Lake. This venue's laidback waterfront patio allows you to soak up lake views as you listen to soaring vocals drifting from the karaoke rooms. Take a sunset stroll before heading inside to show off your own singing chops.
With friendly staff, cozy private rooms, and atmospheric lakefront locale, Houhai Lake's karaoke bars are a quintessential Beijing nightlife experience. Visitors and locals alike appreciate being able to unwind through song in one of the city's most scenic and historic areas. Don't be shy about unleashing your inner popstar during a singalong session here. You may even make some new friends tone-deaf or not, singing is about letting loose and having fun.
Light Up the Night: A Local's Guide to Beijing's Hottest After-Dark Activities - Experience Traditional Chinese Performances at Liyuan Theatre
After exploring the modern nightlife of Beijing, take an evening to travel back in time with traditional Chinese theater performances at Liyuan Theatre. This intimate venue in the city's Qianmen neighborhood allows visitors to experience centuries-old operatic and musical arts as locals have for generations. Understanding these traditional artforms offers insight into Chinese history and culture in an immersive, enjoyable way.
Liyuan Theatre primarily stages Peking opera, a quintessentially Chinese dramatic genre combining music, vocal performance, mime, dance and acrobatics. Peking opera dates back to the 18th century Qing dynasty and is characterized by elaborate costumes and makeup. At Liyuan Theatre, trained performers act out dramatic legends, historical tales and martial arts stories through song, speech, movement and combat choreography.
The highly stylized elements of Peking opera take years to master and provide entertainment through their complexity, from dynamic fight scenes using props to dazzling acrobatic flips and somersaults. Audiences accustomed to naturalistic western acting may find the style jarring at first. But allowing yourself to get drawn into the symbolic gestures and vocalizations reveals an artful, rhythmic beauty.
Beyond Peking opera, Liyuan Theatre also presents other traditional Chinese musical styles like Kunqu opera as well as folk music and dance from China's ethnic minority cultures. Shows at the 430-seat theater are intimate yet professional, distilling China's vast performing arts heritage into an accessible evening. English synopses provide narrative context to help non-Chinese speakers fully appreciate the technical and artistic mastery on display.
The Qianmen neighborhood where Liyuan Theatre resides also contributes old-world charm to the experience, with traditional hutong alleyways and early 20th century architecture surrounding the venue. Visit before sunset so you can wander the streets to soak in the historic atmosphere before enjoying the show. A distilled gin and tonic at nearby Bar No. 3 will energize you for an evening of cultural immersion.
Light Up the Night: A Local's Guide to Beijing's Hottest After-Dark Activities - Enjoy Acrobatics and Circus Shows at Chaoyang Theatre
After tapping your toes to traditional opera or bellowing out pop tunes at a hutong karaoke joint, swap culture for spectacle at Chaoyang Theatre’s acrobatics and circus shows. Housed in a futuristic titanium and glass building, this venue delivers gravity-defying entertainment made even more dazzling by the hi-tech stage and effects.
Acrobatics hold an exalted place in Chinese performing arts, with traditions stretching back over 2,000 years. Chaoyang Theatre’s resident acrobatic troupe Beijing Acrobatics Troupe of China combines these ancient skills with modern technology to create gasp-inducing acts. Contortionists twist their bodies into unimaginable poses at impossible angles. Towering human pyramids sway but never collapse. Performers flip through the air and catch each other by the ankles. It’s the pinnacle of strength, control and timing honed through years of training.
Beyond impressive acrobatics, Chaoyang Theatre runs exciting rotated programs of circus acts, dance shows, and musical productions. The resident Chinese National Circus always enchants with performers riding motorcycles inside spheres, juggling flaming sticks, and executing dizzying trapeze stunts. For kid-friendly entertainment, bring the whole family to an interactive magic show or a musical like "The Lion King".
Chaoyang Theatre’s futuristic architecture enhances the spectacle, with state-of-the-art lighting and sound systems alongside the building's cool titanium shell. Grab first-row seats if you want to truly appreciate the technical skill of each perfectly-timed flip while also taking in the venue's sleek aesthetics. Or snag balcony seats on cushy red couches to gain a bird's-eye view of the entertainment unfolding below.
Beyond the performances themselves, Chaoyang Theatre simply feels different than Beijing's other late-night amusements. The stadium-style seating and production scale make acrobatics shows perfect for groups, dates, or some solo entertainment if you’re traveling alone. Kids to grandparents will ooh and aah at the feats on stage. The performances inspire wonder but also intermission socializing, as you excitedly chat about the incredible techniques on display.
Light Up the Night: A Local's Guide to Beijing's Hottest After-Dark Activities - Wander Through the Stalls at Hongqiao Pearl Market
A busy night on the town in Beijing should include some time wandering the labyrinthine stalls of Hongqiao Pearl Market. This sprawling complex houses over 1,000 wholesale and retail shops selling everything from freshwater pearls to jade statues to electronics. Browsing the market offers insights into contemporary Chinese commerce and consumerism - not to mention some one-of-a-kind souvenir finds.
Hongqiao Market traces its roots to the late 1980s, when the first pearl stalls opened near the Hongqiao Airport. Today the market spans over 55,000 square meters across five floors of merchandise madness. Walking through feels like exploring the world's largest flea market, albeit one centered around pearls, jewelry, crafts, clothing and collectibles.
The sheer variety at Hongqiao Market appeals to all tastes and budgets. Shoppers with an eye for style will uncover chic faux leather handbags, delicate silk scarves and cozy cashmere sweaters. Bargain hunters can snag artisanal crafts like Cloisonné vases or jade pendants. Foodies induldge in exotic dried fruits and regional Chinese delicacies from stalls specializing in edible souvenirs.
Those seeking pearls - the market's namesake - won't leave disappointed. Hundreds of pearl vendors display shimmering necklaces, earrings, bracelets and loose pearls for perusing. Unlike Cartier or Tiffany's, don't expect a sophisticated luxury experience - think narrow stalls with item tags barely legible under flashing neon lights. But the selection impresses nonetheless. Baroque South Sea pearls, fiery black Tahitians, and lustrous freshwaters offer affordable elegance. Haggle respectfully for the best price.
Beyond the commerce, Hongqiao Market provides a lens into modern Chinese consumer culture. Young fashionistas search for unique accessories not found back home. Families scour collectible coins seeking investment-grade rarities. Couples customize wedding rings with delicate jade inlays. The market bustles with locals and tourists alike, united by a shared reverence for quality craftsmanship and good bargains.
Light Up the Night: A Local's Guide to Beijing's Hottest After-Dark Activities - Try Cocktails with a View at Atmosphere Bar
After exploring Beijing's traditional theaters, acrobatics shows, and bustling night markets, head to Atmosphere Bar to cap off your evening with unparalleled city views and creative cocktails. Perched on the 80th floor of the China World Tower, Atmosphere elevates your night out with panoramic vistas 250 meters up alongside finely crafted drinks prepared by expert mixologists.
The bar's floor-to-ceiling windows provide a bird's eye perspective of Beijing's glittering skyline. From this towering height, the capital stretches before you, with the lights of skyscrapers, shopping centers and stadiums all twinkling below. As you sip your cocktails, watch the ebb and flow of the city: red taillights streaming across bridges, neon signs flickering on. When you tire of the urban views, turn your gaze to the natural beauty on display. In the distance, make out the smoky silhouette of the mountains cradling the capital.
While the panoramas impress, Atmosphere's mixology talent keeps guests returning. The bar's head mixologist Kenta Goto honed his craft at famed watering holes across Asia, bringing global inspiration to Atmosphere's list of creative concoctions. Botanical infusions, housemade syrups, and fresh-squeezed juices transform classic cocktails into elegant elixirs. The Smoked Plum Margarita mixes smoky mezcal with sweet plum wine and tart lime. The bar's signature Sakura cocktail blends Japanese gin with cherry blossom liqueur, maraschino and lemon for a refreshing, floral flavor.
Enjoy your drink from a plush leather chair or couch to fully soak in the views and conversation. Atmosphere's sleek, minimalist interior provides a refined backdrop, with warm lighting, dark woods and marble accents. The vibe manages to be both lively and intimate, buzzing with chatter but never overly crowded or noisy. Groups can claim the circular booths for laughing over shared plates from the pan-Asian small bites menu. Couples cuddle close in the low-slung sofas. Solo travelers occupy the barstools, striking up conversations with fellow cocktail enthusiasts or the talented bartenders.
Light Up the Night: A Local's Guide to Beijing's Hottest After-Dark Activities - Dance the Night Away at Mix Club
Among the neon-lit nightspots of Sanlitun, few rival Mix club for its pulsating energy and carefree atmosphere. Once dusk falls, this labyrinthine venue transforms into the epicenter of Beijing's party scene, drawing revelers craving pounding beats and good times that stretch into dawn.
What makes Mix such an essential Beijing nightlife experience? For starters, the DJs consistently spin creative sets across genres like house, techno, hip hop, and EDM that keep the crowd enthralled. On any given night, you may catch rising local DJs, beloved resident spinners, or global headliners fresh off touring Ibiza and Berlin. The top-notch sound system pipes their beats through the cavernous multilevel space and vibrating dancefloors. Intricate lighting effects like roving lasers, strings of bulbs, and haze machines reinforce the otherworldly warehouse vibe.
Of course, Mix club shines brightest after midnight when the dance floor fills to capacity for a throng of clubgoers letting loose. Groups of friends laugh and sway to the music fueled by rounds of Tsingtao beers. Expat partiers and international students mingle fluidly with locals. Solo dancers find community in the collective rhythms. Here, inhibitions and stress melt away - the only mission is having the time of your life.
What truly sets Mix apart is the venue's labyrinthine layout, which encourages wandering between dance floors to discover new nooks and crannies. Head downstairs to find intimate VIP areas and hidden bars serving creative cocktails until 4am. Take a breather on the minimalist sofas of the chill-out lounge, glowing under abstract art installations. Duck onto the secluded open-air patio for gulps of fresh air before diving back into the action. Or follow the neon arrows towards the booming main stage where go-go dancers hype up the hyped-up crowd. There's always another pocket of party to stumble upon.
Light Up the Night: A Local's Guide to Beijing's Hottest After-Dark Activities - Indulge in Late Night Street Food at Wangfujing Snack Street
After a night of drinking and dancing, Beijing revelers traditionally head to Wangfujing Snack Street to indulge in mouthwatering late night street food. Located in the bustling Dongcheng District, this pedestrian street lined with food stalls provides the perfect pit stop to satisfy late night cravings before heading home. Wangfujing Street's carnival-like atmosphere and tantalizing aromas lure hungry night owls from across the capital.
At Wangfujing Snack Street, you can nibble and graze on classic Chinese street eats far into the night. Vendors fire up woks and grills after dusk, preparing regional specialties from spicy cumin lamb skewers to crispy scallion pancakes. The snacks served here provide fuel for further nighttime adventures or comfort food before bed. Most stalls stay open until the wee hours, so you never have to worry about the munchies striking before heading home.
While snacking at Wangfujing, don't miss the chance to try exotic fare like starfish on a stick or scorpions fried up crisp. Adventurous eaters relish the opportunity to expand their culinary horizons with these creature-based novelties. If bug skewers aren't your tempo, indulge in juicy pork dumplings, smoky eggplant, or spicy cold noodles from the Muslim Uigher food stalls. There's truly something to satiate every palate, from playful to refined.
Beyond the diverse food options, the sheer spectacle of Wangfujing Snack Street captivates after dark. Mobile food carts and temporary stalls fill the wide pedestrian street, illuminated by glowing lanterns and neon signs. Hungry crowds weave between vendors, jostling for position in lines or hunting for open stools. The sizzle of woks and tempting aromas of chili oil and spices hang in the air. For many, just soaking in the chaotic atmosphere feels like an essential Beijing experience.
While snacking, don't be surprised to see boozy groups of friends or even matchmaking parents with adult children in tow. Lots of Beijing residents and workers swing by Wangfujing on their nightly routines. The area provides a lively backdrop for group dinners, low-key dates or simply idle people-watching. You may even spot weary clubgoers replenishing before the next stop on their bar crawl. People from all walks of life converge under the glowing lights to feast.
Despite the traditional character of Wangfujing Snack Street, you'll also notice modern flourishes. Some stalls now accept mobile payments through WeChat or Alipay. Locals snap food photos to share on social media instead of merely reminiscing about the cuisine. Wangfujing provides a microcosm of old and new Beijing colliding through tasty late night fare.