Entertainment in Mumbai (Bombay)
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Bluefrog
The most exciting thing to happen to Mumbai’s music scene in a long time, Bluefrog is a concert space, production studio, restaurant and one of Mumbai’s most happening spaces. It hosts exceptional local and international acts, and has cool booth seating.
reviewed
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Café Coffee Day
Coffee pub.
reviewed
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Leopold’s Café
Love it or hate it, most tourists end up at this Mumbai travellers’ institution at one time or another. Around since 1871, Leopold’s has wobbly ceiling fans, open-plan seating and a rambunctious atmosphere conducive to swapping tales with random strangers. Although there’s a huge menu, the lazy evening beers are the real draw.
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Cooperage Football Ground
The Cooperage Football Ground is home to the Mumbai Football Association and hosts national-league and local soccer matches between October and February. Tickets are available at the gate.
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Barista
Coffee pub
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Vie Lounge
Right on Juhu Beach is this glamorous party spot (opposite Little Italy restaurant). The drinks menu is 18 pages long and includes aged imported whiskies. It’s also a nice place for an early-evening coffee and snack. Call before coming to check there isn’t a private Bollywood bash on.
reviewed
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National Centre for the Performing Arts
Spanning 800 sq metres, this cultural centre is the hub of Mumbai’s music, theatre and dance scene. In any given week, it might host Marathi theatre, poetry readings and art exhibitions, Bihari dance troupes, ensembles from Europe or Indian classical music. The Experimental Theatre occasionally has English-language plays. Many performances are free. The box office ( [tel] 22824567; open 9am to 7pm) is at the end of NCPA Marg.
reviewed
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Wankhede Stadium
Wankhede Stadium recently underwent a massive renovation in preparation for the Cricket World Cup final in 2011. Tst matches and one-day internationals are played a few times a year in season (October to April). Contact the Cricket Association for ticket information; for a test match you’ll probably have to pay for the full five days.
reviewed
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H
Gokul Bar
This classic, 100% male, Indian drinking den is a Mumbai icon and a great place for meeting locals. The upstairs air-con section is usually the haunt of the real boozers (and maybe the odd woman). With decor that is at best spartan, and no music, cocktails, or any other frills, you park yourself in a booth and indulge in cheap beer: end of story.
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Olive Bar & Kitchen
Hip, gorgeous and snooty, this Mediterranean-style restaurant and bar has light and delicious food, soothing DJ sounds and pure Ibiza decor. Thursday and weekends are packed. The opening of a new branch at Mahalaxmi Racecourse (open for lunch and dinner, till 1.30am), next to the Turf Club, made South Mumbai’s rich and famous very happy.
reviewed
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National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA)
A vast government-sponsored artistic complex on the waterfront at Nariman Point, the National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA) has a fast-changing schedule of theatre, music and traditional and contemporary performing arts. Look out for English-language plays, performances of Indian classical music and regional dance.
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K
Busaba
Red walls and contemporary art of Buddhas give this loungey restaurant-bar a nouveau Tao. It’s next to Indigo, so gets the same trendy crowd but serves cheaper, more potent cocktails. The upstairs restaurant serves pan-Asian (mains Rs300 to Rs750); its back room feels like a posh treehouse. Reserve ahead.
reviewed
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Ra
Where the city’s beautiful people come to shake their money-makers. Ra’s glass roof opens wide to the stars, and your wallet will open even wider to pay for its top-notch cocktails. Cover for couples is Rs1000, but you may be able to call ahead and get on the guest list.
reviewed
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Polly Esther’s
Wallowing in a cheesy time-warp of retro pop, rock and disco, this mirror-plated, groovy nightclub still manages to pull a crowd. It comes complete with a Saturday Night Fever illuminated dance floor and waiters in Afro wigs. Wednesday is free for the gals.
reviewed
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Mocha Bar
This atmospheric, Arabian-styled cafe is often filled to the brim with bohemians and students deep in esoteric conversation, or just gossip. Cosy, low-cushioned seating, hookah pipes, exotic coffee varieties and world music add up to longer stays than you expected.
reviewed
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Shiro
No lounge anywhere has ambience as soothing as Shiro’s. Water pours from the hands of towering Balinese stone goddesses into lotus ponds, which reflect shimmering light on the walls. Lighting is soft and dramatic, with lots of candles (and good Japanese food).
reviewed
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Zenzi
This stylish hang-out pad is a favourite among the well-heeled. Comfy lounges are sheltered by fairy lights and a tree growing out of one wall, and the burnt-orange decor is bathed in soft light. It’s at its best when the canopy is open to the stars.
reviewed
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Insomnia
For Bollywood star-spotting, ultrachic Insomnia remains the place to be seen dropping some serious dough. It doesn't get going till after midnight and the minimum drinks spend is a hefty Rs600 (Rs1600 on Friday and Saturday).
reviewed
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Saltwater Grill
As close as you can get to Mumbai's ocean without swimming in it, this beach bar sits cocooned by its own palm-frond jungle. Right next to H20, it's a prime contender for the title of 'ultimate sundowner cocktail venue.'
reviewed
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Not Just Jazz by the Bay
This is the best, and frankly the only, jazz club in South Mumbai. True to its name, there are also live pop, blues and rock performers most nights, but Sunday, Monday and Tuesday are reserved for karaoke.
reviewed
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Red Light
This very trendy bar is a huge hit with Mumbai's student scene, particularly on Wednesday's when it's thumping hip-hop sessions are on. The fun-house-mirror trip to the loos is not for the faint hearted.
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Café Mondegar
Café Mondegar is usually filled entirely with foreigners, but some find it less overwhelmingly foreign somehow. It also has more character. ‘Purple Haze’ seems to be always playing on the CD jukebox.
reviewed
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Café Universal
A little bit of France near CST. The Universal has an art nouveau look to it, with butterscotch-colour walls, a wood-beam ceiling and lots of windows, and is a comfy, pretty place for happy hour.
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U
Eros
When in Mumbai, it's hard to ignore the fact that you're at the epicentre of the world's biggest film industry. To experience Bollywood blockbusters in situ, the Eros is the place.
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Dome
This white-on-white rooftop lounge has awesome views of Mumbai’s curving seafront. Cocktails beckon the hip young things of Mumbai nightly – get out your Bollywood star-spotting logbook.
reviewed