Nightlife

IF you haven't burnt up all your energy during the day exploring the city, Johannesburg offers a range of happening nightclubs and cocktail bars with live music and DJs spinning beats. Here is a selection, from hardcore dance spots to more laidback venues.

Nightclubs

back2basix
Address: Corner of Perth and Lancaster roads, Westdene
Tel: 011 726 6857
Website: www.back2basix.co.za
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Open: Tuesdays to Sundays 5pm till late
Back2basix's positioning, opposite the University of Johannesburg, ensures a very comfortable combination of 20 and 30 somethings.  Perhaps it's the live music acts from South Africa's leading and up-coming artists, the menu and the well stocked bar that has kept the bar busy for the past seven years. 

Bassline
Address: 10 Henry Nxumalo Street, Newtown
Tel: 011 838 9145
Website: www.bassline.co.za
Open: Mondays to Fridays 9am to 5pm
An Afro-jazz club, Bassline is a live events venue that also hosts kwaito and hip hop artists

The Blues Room
Address: Village Walk, cnr Rivonia and Maude Street, Sandton
Tel: 011 8389145
Website: www.bluesroom.co.za
Open: Mondays to Sundays 10am till late
The Blues Room has earned itself a reputation as a top-class live music venue and has been voted the best jazz and blues venue in Johannesburg for four years in a row. It's an American-style club with a superb sound system and is frequented by local and international artists five nights a week.

Cool Runnings
Address: 27 4th Ave, Melville
Tel: 011 482 4786
Website: www.coolrunnings.co.za
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Open: every day 11pm till late
This reggae bar and eatery epitomises Rastafarian culture. Wooden outdoor tables and floors, grass ceilings and the Jamaican colours of red, green and yellow transport you to another place.

DJ's Bar Lounge
Address: 1198 Ngculu St, Orlando East, Soweto
Tel: 011 935 7460
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Open: Mondays to Sundays 10am to 2am
Eat affordable African dishes whilst you listen to live music played on request. Call before you go to find who is playing.

The Radium Beer Hall
Address: 282 Louis Botha Ave, Orange Grove
Tel: 011 728 3866
Website: www.theradium.co.za
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Open: Mondays to Saturdays 10am to midnight
Established in 1929, this is a great venue for a wide variety of food and live music. It was once a favoured hang-out of celebrated author Herman Charles Bosman. Booking is essential except on the first Sunday of the month, when The Fat Sound, an 18-piece jazz band, plays.

Katzy's at the Grillhouse
Address: The Firs, Oxford Road, Rosebank
Tel: 011 880 3945
Website: www.thegrillhouse.co.za
Open: Mondays to Saturdays from 5pm till late
The who's who hang out at this trendy venue in Rosebank, though it's open to everyone. Situated at The Firs mall, Katzy's is the perfect place for that pre-dinner cocktail or post-dinner cigar. Katzy's specialises in whiskeys, cognacs and cigars. It is based on two piano bars in the US – Jilly's in Chicago, once owned by Frank Sinatra, and Don't Tell Mama's piano bar on the Upper West Side in New York. Katzy's plays soft music, classical music and blues. Live bands perform everyday except Mondays.

Tanz Café
Address: The River Road, cnr Bryanston Drive, Riverside (Entrance on The River Road)
Tel: 011 463 3128/ 5937
Website: www.tanzcafe.co.za                                                                                             
Open: Tuesdays to Saturdays 7pm till late
Tanz Café is a comedy dinner club that offers a seasonal menu and a comfortable bar to relax at if you prefer to watch others doing the dancing. Live music is on offer.

The Rock
Address: 1987 Vundla St, Rockville, Soweto
Tel: 011 986 8182
Website: www.therock.co.za
Open: Weekdays from 9pm to 11pm; weekends from 9pm to 2am
The Rock truly rocks on the weekend nights when many partygoers come in from the city. There's an in-house DJ but live music can be arranged on request.

Roxy's Rhythm Bar
Address: 20 Main Road, Melville
Tel: 011 726 6019
Website: www.clubroxy.co.za
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Open: Mondays to Saturdays 8pm till late
Music varies at Roxy's: deep funk, classic, garage, hip-hop, drum 'n bass, and live music most nights. Mondays are student nights, which means drinks on the house.

Taboo
24 Central, Cnr Fredman Drive and Gwen Lane, Sandton
Tel: 011 783 2200
Hours: Saturdays 10pm till late; some Fridays 10pm till late
Website: www.taboo.co.za
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This multi-level, multi-purpose venue offers house music upstairs and RnB downstairs. 

Fashion TV café, Sunninghill
Address: Shop 4, Rivonia Crossing, Cnr Witkoppen & Rivonia Rd (Entrance in Achter Rd)
Tel: 011 803 4013
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Hours: Mondays to Saturdays 10am to 2am
Fashion TV café in Sunninghill functions as a café lounge during the day but, depending on the crowd, can easily convert into a club. Catch resident DJ Stats on the vinyls Fridays and Saturdays with a section of anything and everything.

Fashion TV café, Sandton
Address: Shop P1, 2nd Floor, Michelangelo Towers, Maude St, Sandton
Tel: 011 783 1864
Fax: 011 783 1865
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Website: www.ftvsun.co.za
Hours: Tuesdays to Saturdays midday to 2am
Fashion TV café in Sandton plays commercial tracks to suit everyone's needs. Residents DJs Sebastian and Kevin are on the decks Thursdays and Saturday nights. The kitchen closes at 10pm.

House of Nsako
Address: 101 High Street, Brixton
Tel: 072 223 2648
Website: www.nsako.co.za
Open: Tuesdays to Saturdays 3pm till close
House of Nsako is a breathe of fresh air in the often plastic city of Joburg. This venue's unusual décor is as different as the arty farty crowd it often attracts. Not only does Nsako boost a well-stocked bar and tasty spy koos but it showcases documentaries and acoustic unplugged music on Tuesdays while Rock the Bossa on Wednesdays are jam-packed with mainly rock and hip hop music. Sheila's day on Thursday celebrates the domestic workforce and street culture of South Africa. If you are into live music African music, reggae and jazz play right through the weekend.

The Crazy 88
Address: 114 William Road, Norwood, corner Grant Avenue
Tel: 011 728 8417
Website: www.88.co.za or email This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
Open: Thursdays and Saturdays 9pm till late, Fridays 5pm till late. The venue is only opened on weekdays if reserved for a particular function.
Crazy 88 hosts the finest local and international DJs and musicians. The music ranges from house to Indie rock music and everything else in between.

Roka
Address: 44 Stanley Avenue, Milpark
Tel: 011 482 2023
Website: www.rokalounge.com
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Open: Tuesdays to Saturdays 11.30am till 2.30am
This cocktail bar/restaurant provides live and recorded music to a wide selection of music lovers. Catch the cocktail special from 11.30am till 7.00pm, where you can make your selection from 85 very tasty cocktails. Wednesdays are live Jazz nights while the last Tuesday of every month is all about rock music. For the hip hop heads check out party people at Roka on every last Saturday of the month. 

Go-Go Bar
Address: Corner of Bree and Henry Nxumalo streets, Newtown
Tel: 083 419 5912
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Open: Thursdays and Fridays 9pm till 2am
Go-Go Bar is your spot if you into electro or hip hop music

Keyes on the Avenue
Address: 7 & 9 Parklands Centre, Rosebank
Tel: 082 923 2631
Website: www.keyeslounge.com
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Open: Fridays and Saturdays 8pm till late
A trendy music bar/lounge showcases hip-hop, RnB and house music.

The Bohemian
Address: 5 Park Road, Richmond
Tel: 011 482 1725
Open: Mondays to Sundays 11am to 2am
Website: www.thebo.co.za
The Bohemian's rather unusual deco reminds you of a bar in Amsterdam with the smoke and dim lights adding to the dingy pub feel. The Picasso/Van Gogh-inspired paintings on the wall reaffirm that you are in actual fact minutes away from Joburg's creative central district, Melville.  If playing a game of pool is your thing and rock is your beat check out The Bohemian.


Gay clubs

Simply Blue
Address: 90 De Korte Street, Braamfontein
Tel: 082 876 8976
Hours: Tuesdays to Fridays midday till late; Saturdays and Sundays 2pm till late
Website: www.clubsimplyblue.com
Simply Blue is a day-time bar, converting into a club Fridays and Saturdays, playing anything and everything.

Rec Room
Address: Malibongwe Drive, Phoenix Centre, Randburg
Tel: 011 792 1288
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Hours: Weekdays midday to 1am and weekends midday to 7am
This club specialises in steam baths such as jacuzzi and sonar. Different music channels are always playing.

The Men Factory
Address: 6 6th Street, New Doornfontein
Tel: 083 965 2227
Hours: Mondays to Sundays midday to 6am
Website: www.thefactorybar.co.za
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The club plays funky house and electro-type music. Every first Friday of the month is leather night with a video lounge that offers porno, particularly for men.