-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
Advertisement
-
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.
-
Canetti
Canetti is one of only a handful of eateries in Vienna with rooftop views. Perched on top of the Bücherei Wien , it offers a sweeping vista of Vienna to the south. The Viennese dishes can be hit-or-miss unfortunately, but it's a fine place for a quiet coffee or something stronger.
-
Club U
Club U occupies one of Otto Wagner's Stadtbahn Pavillons on Karlsplatz. It's a small, student-infested bar/club with regular DJs and a wonderful outdoor seating area overlooking the pavilions and park.
-
Das Möbel
Das Möbel wins points for its furniture consisting entirely of one-off pieces produced by local designers. Half the fun is choosing a spot that takes your fancy - whether it be a swinging chair or a surfboard bench. Light fittings, bags and various odds and ends complete the look, and everything is for sale.
-
Elektro Gönner
Elektro Gönner is an unpretentious bar opened by architects (and attracting plenty from the profession). Much of the interior is uncomplicated and bare, aside from the occasional art installation in the back room, and the music diverse. The bar hides at the back of a courtyard off Mariahilfer Strasse.
-
Esterházykeller
Esterházykeller is tucked away in a quiet courtyard just off Kohlmarkt. Its enormous cellar is a tad claustrophobic, but after a few glasses of excellent wine, direct from the Esterházy Palace cellar in Eisenstadt, no one seems to mind. The rustic decor, complete with medieval weaponry and farming tools, reeks of kitsch; the individual wooden booths are its saving grace. Unlike most Heurigen, beer is offered.
-
Europa
A long-standing fixture of the 7th district, Europa is a chilled spot anytime, day or night. During the sunny hours, join the relaxed set at a window table for coffee and food. In the evening, take a pew at the bar and enjoy the DJ's tunes. Its breakfast, served between and on weekends, caters to a hungover clientele.
-
First Floor
First Floor is a true barfly haunt with cocktails galore, classic jazz tunes, professional, laid-back bartenders and a huge aquarium (empty of fish). It's a grand place to get soddenly drunk with a best mate, or spend hours flirting with the opposite sex.
-
Flex
Flex has been attracting a more mainstream crowd in recent times, but it still manages to retain a semblance of its former edginess, and the title of best club in town. The sound system is without equal in Vienna (some would say Europe), entry price generally reasonable and dress code unheard of. The monthly DJ line-up features local legends and international names, and live acts are commonplace.
-
Frauencafé
A strictly women-only café/bar, Frauencafé has long been a favourite of Vienna's lesbian scene. It has a homely, relaxed feel and is located away from the hub of gay and lesbian bars around the Rosa Lila Villa.
-
Advertisement
-
Goodmann
A tiny club attracting clubbers who don't want the night to end, Goodmann serves food upstairs (until ) and hides its night owls, who are an eclectic mix of old and young (but always in a merry state), downstairs.
-
Hirt
Hidden among the vineyards on the eastern slopes of Kahlenberg, Hirt is a simple Heuriger with few frills. Basic wooden tables, a small buffet and marginal service all help to create a traditional atmosphere while views of Kahlenbergerdorf and the 21st district across the Danube are a pleasure to enjoy over a few glasses of wine in the early evening. Hirt is best approached from the top of Kahlenberg.
-
Kleines Café
Designed by architect Hermann Czech in the 1970s, the Kleines Café exudes a bohemian atmosphere reminiscent of Vienna's heady Jugendstil days. It's tiny inside, but the wonderful summer outdoor seating on Franziskanerplatz is arguably the best in the Innere Stadt.
-
Kunsthallencafé
The Kunsthallencafé carries plenty of 'cool' clout and attracts a relaxed, arty crowd with its DJs and close proximity to the Kunsthalle Project Space. The big sofas go quickly but there are plenty of small tables perfect for an intimate evening, and in summer the huge terrace (with more couches) is a big attraction. Thankfully, the building site surrounding this glass box has finally been cleared to let in the cityscape.
-
Lo:Sch
This leather-fetish bar is normally men-only but occasionally hosts unisex parties on Saturday nights. Lo:sch sometimes opens during the week for special events.
