Copenhagen Entertainment

  1. Grand Teatret

    Just off Strøget, this comfortable theatre shows art-house and some mainstream films.

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  2. Grill Bar

    Horrendously expensive it may be (over kr100 for a cocktail!), but that's the price you pay to spend an evening among Copenhagen's beautiful people in this gorgeous two-storey lounge bar owned by the people behind the former restaurant/bar Konrad. There's a DJ on weekends and they serve reasonable contemporary international food throughout the day and evening.

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  3. Halvandet

    We can't guarantee this groovy urban beach/lounge bar will be open every summer, but it has drawn a chilled-out party crowd to this rather remote part of town since '03 every summer. You'll find it a little beyond the Opera House, out in the old docklands (Holmen). The food is rudimentary grills and salads, but the vibe and the music are unbeatable, especially if the weather is cooperative.

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  4. Huset

    This excellent arts centre is home to Musik Cafeen, which promotes up-and-coming pop and rock acts and is a nightclub on the weekends; Salon K, home to improv, experimental theatre and cabaret; the gay nightclub Boiz; a small art-house cinema; and 1.Sal, a live jazz and world music venue. Oh, and there's a café too. Use It, the young person's information centre, is also based here.

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  5. Ideal Bar

    Ideal Bar is just that - the ideal place to enjoy a few fabulous cocktails in style. Situated in the Vega complex, the music is slightly subdued, but the decor is stylishly 50s and the crowd is every bit as cool (in a good way). Every night is themed to keep the boredom at bay.

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  6. Jailhouse

    Want to earn your stripes? This two storey, jail-themed restaurant-bar is one of the most popular venues on the Copenhagen gay scene. Bring your ball and chain.

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  7. K-Bar

    This laid back lounge-cocktail bar is tucked away behind Amagertorv. The 'K' stands for Kirsten, who mixes a mean mojito to a young-ish, weekend-all-week and pre-club crowd.

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  8. La Fontaine

    Copenhagen's oldest and cosiest jazz venue is right in the city centre and offers live jazz from Friday to Sunday - it's renowned for its late night jam sessions.

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  9. Laundromat Cafe

    This playful corner café was the brainchild of Icelander Fridrik Weisshappel who decided to turn the old Morgans juice bar into a café-cum-laundrette, with washing machines just round the corner from the bar. Throw in 4000 secondhand books (all for sale) to decorate the bar and you have one of Copenhagen's most distinctive and enjoyable venues.

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  10. Library Bar

    The Plaza Hotel's small bar mimics a classic London gentleman's club, with leather chairs, an open fire and shelves lined with books. Bowler hats not essential.

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  12. Loppen

    Housed in a historic, wooden-beamed warehouse in Christiania, this is a popular spot with some of the city's top bands, ranging from funk and soul to punk rock. On weekends, the live concerts are followed by a disco ( to ).

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  13. Masken

    You'll find a pretty mellow, easy-going atmosphere in this mainstream gay bar, with cheap beer and good snacks. It's mainly a hang-out for gay men, but Thursday is Ladies Night.

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  14. MJ Coffee Cafe

    A leading player in the booming Copenhagen coffee house scene, MJs serves a superb home blended cuppa, along with soups and smoothies in an advantageous people-watching corner spot.

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  15. Mojo

    East of Tivoli, this is a great spot for blues, with live entertainment nightly and draught beer aplenty.

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  16. Nørrebro Bryghus

    This two-storey brewery with a lounge bar and good, midrange restaurant kickstarted the microbrewing craze in Denmark a few years back (master brewer Anders Kissmeyer looks after the beer side of things), and the concept remains as fresh and alluring as ever.

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  17. Oak Room

    If we had to nominate one place to go for a memorable, flirty, drunken Copenhagen evening right now, it would have to be the Oak Room. This sweaty, minimalist, invariably packed two-room cocktail bar is close to trendy Elmegade and just around the corner from Rust.

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  18. Oscar

    Oscar is a stylish, easy-going spot where you'll find gay men and their female friends having a bite to eat. It's an airy space, with room to breathe and substantial meals during the day (generally pasta and soup dishes). Oscar can seem so low-key in daylight hours that you may not realise it's a 'gay' place till you spy portraits of Oscar Wilde on the wall.

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  19. Palads Cinema

    A multiplex, yes, but one with a garish charm and a large number of choices of both Danish and international films (subtitled in Danish).

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  20. Palæ Bar

    This cosy, old-school drinking den is popular with an older crowd of journalists, writers and politicians.

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  21. Pan Disco

    On the southern side of Strøget, this is the city's main mixed gay and lesbian danceteria, with multiple bars and two (frequently packed) dance floors. Typically one disco spins current house tunes and the other focuses on camp/romantic pop classics that bring out the inner karaoke queen in all of us.

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  23. Park Café

    This is Østerbro's most happening night venue. Its cafe serves both vegetarian and meat items and often has live entertainment. There are a couple of large dance floors - the upper level with live music and the basement floor with a DJ. The music is varied but progressive and the crowd tends to be young and stylish.

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  24. Parken

    Denmark's 40,000 seater (slightly more for concerts) national stadium hosts the city's top football team FCK, major sporting events and visiting rock and pop gods such as U2 and Robbie Williams.

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  25. Plex Musik Teater

    Need some Kultur? Copenhagen's new avant-garde music and arts venue hosts a wide range of artistic crossover performances, exhibitions, hybrid art and talks.

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  26. Pumpehuset

    This popular rock/pop venue lies at the western end of Studiestræde. You don't get too many international names playing here; it's more famous for its jamming sessions themed on famous acts.

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  27. Pussy Galore's Flying Circus

    Jacobsen chairs, outdoor seating, an excellent cocktail list and some serious queues mean this place has still got some sort of 'it' factor for many locals. The classic French brasserie Sebastapols next door is equally popular on weekends, creating a buzzing scene on this bustling square.

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