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Acid Bar
Hip little two-level bar with studenty ambience and a Cuban theme.
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Akhvlediani
Running off the north end of Vardebis Revolutsis moedani, Akhvlediani (formerly Perovskoy and still widely known by that name), along with neighbouring Kiacheli and Vashlovani, is home to a cosmopolitan variety of bars and eateries, several of which offer live music. You can always find somewhere lively to drop into here.
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Blues Brothers
The purpose-built Blues Brothers is dedicated to live jazz and blues (from most nights), but atmosphere and musical quality are hit or miss.
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Café Kala
The bar that got the Erekle II scene going back in 2004, Kala is still consistently the most popular. There's a comfortable, arty atmosphere, free wi-fi and the city's best live jazz from to midnight. The food is pretty average.
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Chardin Bar
Gilt, velvet plush and photos of fashion models pull in the beautiful people to chatter over cocktails and cakes to a techno and ambient background.
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Dublin
The tight rock bands at this popular and convivial Irish bar usually get at least a few people dancing. The music may not be original but the musicians sure know how to play it.
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Hangar Bar
Focus for the expat community's testosterone tendency, this Irish-American bar proclaims itself the 'home of live rugby', shows TV sport and serves Tex-Mex and Italian food. It's always lively and the welcoming staff speak perfect English.
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Jazz Club Non Stop
The small, smoky Jazz Club Non Stop is dedicated to live jazz and blues (from most nights), but atmosphere and musical quality are hit or miss.
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Kino Sakhli
In general-release cinemas nearly all films are dubbed into Russian. Kino Sakhli shows foreign films in their original language (usually English), or Georgian or Russian films with English subtitles, at on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
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Laghidze
Laghidze, running down off Rustaveli beside the Opera House, is home to a small clutch of interesting bars.
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Le Café
A slick little bar with French ambience, Le Café is enjoyable to drop into for relatively quiet conversation.
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Maidan's Club
Convenient if you don't want to move far from the Old Town bars, this place offers cocktails and DJs in a long space with two dance areas and ample outdoor loungers too.
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Marjanishvili Theatre
Another of the top drama theatres, recently refurbished.
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Moulin Electrique
This funky two-level nook attracts a cool 20s crowd. The décor is a collection of random small objects that might have been assembled at the Dry Bridge market.
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Nabadi Theatre
Doubtless with tourists in mind, Nabadi presents a show of music, dance and song about Georgian legends and culture, with some food and wine thrown in. Not bad.
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Nali
It's always worth checking out this other Irish pub, bigger than Dublin, for its live rock music and atmosphere.
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Near Opera
This concisely-named bar, popular with all ages, is a multichambered affair with décor seemingly inspired by Aubrey Beardsley. An excellent jazz trio plays from most nights.
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Night Office
This hi-tech, laser-illuminated space under the Baratashvili Bridge, with three bars and room for 1000 clubbers, is the top party spot in town. International guest DJs fly in many weekends. You can dance to almost any electronic beat here, including breakbeat, house and the locally popular minimal.
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Old Town
The Old Town, especially the pedestrianised streets with their strings of designer bars and pavement cafés, is Tbilisi's fashionable place to drink and socialise. The longer-established strip of bars and restaurants around Akhvlediani is a less-sceney alternative with less-inflated prices. Most bars serve meals as well, and stay open until at least .
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Paliashvili Opera & Ballet Theatre
Opera, ballet and classical concerts regularly play to full houses here.
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Rustaveli National Theatre
The biggest theatre, headed by Robert Sturua, internationally famous for his interpretations of Shakespeare and Brecht.
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Success
The one acknowledgedly gay (or gay/mixed) bar is Success, which is less stylish than it was. But several other bars and cafés are gay-friendly, including Le Café, opposite Success, and Café Kala in the Old Town.
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Switch
Another top club, with minimal and other techno beats and occasional headline guest DJs.
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Traffic
Down an alley near Tavisuplebis moedani, this LA-style lounge is popular with locals and expats. DJs spin electronic music till very late.
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Tunnel Club
Popular club set inside a former nuclear shelter in the hill below Mother Georgia. The setting is certainly unique and the dance floor must be one of the longest and thinnest in the world.
