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A Bar Shabu
A gorgeous little bar outfitted in '70s retro, Shabu welcomes all and sundry with an unaffected ambience and laid-back staff. Regular DJs provide an excellent backdrop of calming tunes, and the absinthe selection from around Europe is extensive. Don't miss the Japanese room, or should we say closet.
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Alt Wien
Dark, Bohemian and full of character, Alt Wien is a classic dive attracting students and artsy types. It's also a one-stop shop for the lowdown on events in the city - every available wall space is plastered with posters advertising shows, concerts and exhibitions. The goulash is legendary and perfectly complimented by dark bread and beer.
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American Bar
Designed by Adolf Loos in 1908 (it also goes by the name Loos-Bar), the American Bar is a tiny box with mirrored walls to trick the mind into thinking its in a far bigger space. The cocktail list is lengthy and the mixing professional, which means the bar is often full to overflowing even on weeknights.
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Arena
A former slaughterhouse turned music and film venue, Arena is one of the city's quirkier places to see live acts. Hard rock, rock, metal, reggae and soul (along with cinema) can be seen on its outdoor stage from May to September; over winter bands are presented in one of its two indoor halls. 'Iceberg,' a particularly popular German-British 1970s new-wave bash, is held here once a month.
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Artis International
Artis has six small cinemas in the heart of the Innere Stadt. It only shows English-language films invariably straight out of Hollywood's larger studios.
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Aux Gazelles
Aux Gazelles' club bar is beautifully Moorish and suitably filled with beautiful people. The music is an eclectic mix of smooth ethnic sounds, and there are plenty of dim corners and low, comfy couches to escape to. The rest of this gigantic club features a restaurant, bar, deli, and Hammam (oriental steam bath). Aux Gazelles is one of the few clubs in town where a dress code is enforced.
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B72
Fringe live acts, alternative beats and album launches are the mainstays of B72's line-up, which collectively attract a predominantly youthful crowd. Its tall glass walls and arched brick interior are typical of most bars along the Gürtel, as is the thick, smoky air and grungy appearance. Its name comes from its address, Bogen (arch) 72.
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Bach
An underground club of sorts, Bach features techno DJs and regular live acts from across Europe. The crowd leans towards the grungy side, and is genuine and relaxed; the dance floor small and intimate. Bach is in the far flung reaches of Ottakring.
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Bar Italia Lounge
One of a growing number of lounge bars in Vienna, Bar Italia caters to the trendy set with its slick decor and sharp service. The bar fills the ground floor while downstairs is occupied by the lounge, a setting for late-night revelry on the dance floor.
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Birdland
With Birdland, world-renowned jazz musician and local boy Joe Zawinul has created a top-notch bar for discerning jazz fans. The acoustics and ambience are excellent but then again, with the entry price rarely dropping below around €30 , they should be. Acts have included The Temptations, Hot Chocolate and Earth, Wind & Fire; quality on most nights is pretty much a given. It's situated below the Hilton Vienna.
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Breitenseer Lichtspiele
This delightful Art Nouveau cinema is an absolute gem. Opened in 1909, the Breitenseer still retains its original wooden seats and carries the atmosphere of a bygone era in cinema history. Films are usually in English with German subtitles, and some are quite risqué.
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Brunners
Brunner's major attraction is its view; from its elevated position on the 22nd floor of Vienna's Twin Towers, the entire city is laid out in all its grandeur. The best time to visit is just before the sun sets over the Vienna Woods to the west, after which the fluorescent lighting system kicks in and spoils the scene somewhat.
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Bundestheaterkassen
The state ticket office only sells tickets to federal venues: Akademietheater, Burgtheater, Schauspielhaus, Staatsoper and Volksoper. The office charges no commission, and tickets for the Staatsoper and Volksoper are available here one month in advance. Credit cards are accepted and credit-card purchases can be made by telephone. Alternatively, tickets can be booked over the internet.
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Burg Kino
The Burg Kino is a central cinema showing only English-language films. It has regular screenings of the The Third Man , Orson Welles' timeless classic set in post-WWII Vienna, at Friday and Saturday, Sunday and Tuesday. Cinemas here range from small to extra large.
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Burgtheater
The Burgtheater (National Theatre) is one of the premiere venues in the German-speaking world. Designed by Gottfried Semper and Karl von Hasenauer in the Renaissance style, it had to be rebuilt after sustaining severe damage in WWII. The grand interior has stairway frescoes painted by the Klimt brothers, Gustav and Ernst. Tours of are conducted daily at and in July and August and at daily for the remainder of the year.
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Cabaret Renz
A former brothel turned bar/club, Cabaret Renz occupies an innocuous corner in residential Leopoldstadt. The velvet-clad club, which turns up the volume on Friday and Saturday nights, attracts a 20-something crowd and the best local DJ talent, plus a few international acts. Renz's grungy, red bar next door is typically Viennese, with resident boozers, table football and plenty of heated chatter.
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Café Anzengruber
This corner café attracts an arty crowd and many of Vienna's jazz musicians. Both the décor and atmosphere are laid-back and the food, which has a distinct Croatian slant, is highly recommended. There's also a pool table.
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Café Berg
Café Berg is Vienna's leading gay bar, although its welcoming to patrons from all walks of life. Its staff are some of the nicest in town, the layout sleek and smart and the vibe chilled. Its bookshop, Löwenherz (Mon-Fri - , Sat - ), stocks a grand collection of gay magazines and books.
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Café Carina
Small, smoky and pleasantly dingy, Carina is a muso's and drinker's bar. Local bands perform most nights, only a few feet from a normally enthusiastic audience, and the music is invariably folk, jazz or country.
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Café Concerto
Concerto is another of the Gürtel's bars to host local live acts. Jazz features heavily on a program also peppered with DJs and both the cellar and ground level bar are used for concerts, although the acoustics of the former may leave a little to be desired. Entry is often free.
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Café Leopold
The pick of the MuseumsQuartier bars, Café Leopold sits high at the top of the Leopold Museum . Its design is sleek and smart - its conservatory overlooks the MQ's square - and the atmosphere is more club than bar (DJs feature Monday to Saturday). At times the air can become uncomfortably smoky.
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Café Prückel
Prückel's unique mould is a little different from other Viennese cafés: instead of a sumptuous interior, it features an intact 1950s design. Intimate booths, aloof waiters, strong coffee and diet-destroying cakes are all attractions, but the smoke can at times be bothersome; thankfully there's a non-smoking room at the rear. Live piano music is offered to Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
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Café Savoy
Café Savoy is an established gay haunt with a traditional café feel to it, except for the feathers everywhere. The clientele is generally very mixed on a Saturday - mainly due to the proximity of the Naschmarkt - but at other times it's filled with men of all ages.
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Café Stein
During the day this three-level café is a popular haunt of students from the nearby university; come evening the clientele metamorphoses into city workers with a lot more money to spend. DJs control the decks in the evenings and the all-day menu is extensive. During the summer there is outside seating, which enjoys superb views of the Votivkirche.
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Café Willendorf
This is one of Vienna's seminal gay and lesbian bars. Housed in the pink Rosa Lila Villa, it's a very popular place to meet for a chat, a drink or a meal. The lovely inner courtyard garden opens for the summer months.
