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Academy Cinema
Up for a bit of art-house escapism? The boutique Academy screens a steady diet of foreign and independent films that may never have a mainstream cinema release. It's also the venue for the likes of the World Cinema Showcase and Human Rights film festivals.
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Aotea Centre
The Aotea Centre is the main venue for the classics: expect to hear the well-fed voices of the NZ Opera company (www.nzopera.com) and to see the pointy toes of the Royal New Zealand Ballet (www.nzballet.or.nz).
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Boogie Wonderland
If you can see the dance floor through the hundreds of pairs of dancin' feet, you'd see its coloured dancing squares. Strictly disco, Boogie is a forgiving kind of place, which may explain the door queues.
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Caluzzi
Would you like drag with your steak? Your three-course set meal (around NZ$50.00 ) comes with lashings of torch-song tunes, repartee and cheek (both buttocks and behavioural varieties) delivered by your drag queen-diva waitresses. Best you book a babysitter, and book ahead for dinner at Caluzzi.
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Chapel Bar & Bistro
There are two sides to every Chapel story: its corner location allows two Ponsonby people-watching aspects, it's a bar and a bistro, and it has indoor and outdoor seating. It's friendly, neat and casual, with undeniable appeal.
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Civic
Millions have been spent restoring the Civic Theatre. It has a romantic, Eastern-style interior featuring a midnight-blue, star-studded ceiling in the main theatre and gold lions with blazing red eyes crouched in alcoves. Prior to its renovation it was a movie theatre; now the Civic features popular musicals like Les Miserables or Phantom of the Opera .
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Classic Comedy Club
Built for laughs, the Classic has proven to be the city's top comedy venue. See local comedians and comediennes stand up (and sometimes fall) during the venue's regular performance programme. Main shows are Thursday to Sunday and there's an open-mike night most Mondays. A bimonthly calendar of events is available at the door.
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Dogs Bollix
This little Irish pub has a big reputation, putting on something to entertain the punters every night. If it's not a band belting out original numbers, it's a trivia night or big-TV sports telecast.
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Edge
A quartet of performing-arts venues comes under the Edge's collective management. They're all within a ticket's toss of one another, and each favours a specific style. They include Aotea Square and the imposing Auckland Town Hall, its Great Hall home of the Symphony Orchestra (www.aucklandsymphony.gen.nz) and Philharmonia (www.aucklandphil.co.nz). Nearby is the Aotea Centre and the Civic theatre.
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Family
The best gay bar in the city, Family doubles as a club and sets aside certain nights for entertainment offerings. Regulars might do it their way on karaoke night or laugh along with the drag divas.
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Float
Your basic garden-variety club: each night brings a different crowd-pleasing flavour from R & B through to funk. Join gangs of girlfriends and an older crew on their big night out.
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Fu Bar
They don't stop the hip-hop at Fu Bar. The cream of Auckland's local crews plus the best touring acts hit the decks at this mainstay of Auckland's underground scene. If hip-hop aint your thing the DJs also do plenty of drum 'n' bass or you can catch rockers Die! Die! Die! and other local live acts.
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Galatos
A converted theatre, Galatos hosts bands in the basement and DJs and club nights in the main room, the parquet floor of which has seen the gamut of dance styles from the cha-cha in its ballroom days to current hands-in-the-air DJ worship. The upstairs Lounge is home to the Moving Image Centre (www.mic.org.nz), which screens new-media (integrating performance with visual technologies).
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Gin Room
This upstairs plush-retro parlour, with dappled chandelier light just touching the many nooks and crannies, may have you reminiscing about the good ole colonial days: when drinking G&Ts was for the quinine in the tonic. Ease your feet up onto a faux leopard-print pouf and tell 'em it came from your most recent hunting expedition.
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Honey
This comfy-sofa'd champagne bar sells unique Kiwi drinks such as NZ-made gin ( South ) and vodka ( 42 Below ), which can be infused with feijoa or manuka honey. There's also a great open-air deck on the roof if it all starts going to your head and you need a touch of the great outdoors.
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Kamo
While not exclusively gay, Kamo's high-camp Polynesian flourishes are…well, gay - in the old sense of the word. Also serving food, Kamo attracts a youngish crowd.
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Khuja Lounge
The Khuja Lounge sits on the top floor of the Art Deco Westpac building and has great views to accompany the ever-changing line-up of quality live jazz, soul and hip-hop acts. Grab a cocktail and a window seat for that top-of-the-world feeling.
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Kings Arms Tavern
The most popular small venue in Auckland is the Kings Arms Tavern, which has emerging bands playing rock and alternative music. If there's no band on, you can take it easy in the garden bar any day of the week. A gig at the 'K A' is a rite of passage for bands breaking into the local scene.
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Lenin Bar
The iron curtain has been replaced with a classy glass one, affording twinkling night-time views. March up to Lenin's curvaceous bar and order one of their 80-odd vodkas, including home-infusions, plus potato and grain varieties from around the world. DJs incite dance-floor action Thursday to Saturday.
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Lido
Auckland's most adored cinema, Lido's well-padded seats in its two licensed theatres make it the people's choice for seeing a flick. Couples should book the back row with removable armrests. Lido screens art-house, foreign and the odd Hollywood film.
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Loaded Hog
Many people get loaded at the home-style Hog pub on weekends, but it's a tad tamer during the day and early evening, with harbourside seating. Home-brews outdo the pretty average pub grub on offer.
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Minus 5° Bar
Known for its extraordinary décor, Minus 5º is carved entirely from ice. Warmth comes with your entry fee by way of fur-lined jackets, gloves and a vodka. And don't get too carried away looking at Victor the ice carver's latest sculptures, you have only half an hour before Jack Frost starts a knockin'.
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Musket Room
Behind an unassuming door bearing a sign the size of a postage stamp, the Musket Room is easy to miss. But try not to; its owners come from a heritage of hospitality, and its solid stellar reputation is backed by tasty tapas and expertly prepared drinks.
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Rakinos
A mild-mannered café and bar the rest of the week, come Thursday Rakinos cranks with DJs and bands. It covers a lot of bases, so makes a fitting finish or start to any night.
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Rialto Cinemas
It's got drama, horror, comedy and kids' movies. This large independent chain has cinemas across the country. This one is licensed, so you can really make a night of going to the movies.
