Entertainment in Geneva
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Bar du Nord
Bar du Nord, one of Carouge’s oldest, was known in the ’90s for its beach (yes, imported sand feature) and is now a stylish bar stuffed with Bauhaus-inspired furniture, the best whisky selection in town and a small courtyard terrace out back. It’s young, trendy, unpredictable. Best nights are Thursday and Friday with good music, DJs, lots of electro.
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Le Palais Mascotte
Le Palais Mascotte, closed for over 10 years, was reopened as a resto–cabaret bar for over 30s. It has a great atmosphere, quite selective. A restaurant is on the top floor; cabaret, ’70s and ’80s music on the ground floor; and concert followed by ’90s music in the basement club, Le Zazou. Good fun!
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Scandale
Retro ’50s furnishings in a cavernous interior bedecked with a fine choice of eclectic seating, including drop-dead-comfy sofas, ensure this lounge bar is never empty. Grub ranges from fully fledged mains (Sfr15 to Sfr20) to snack-attack salads, bruschetta and so on and happenings include art exhibitions, Saturday-night DJs and bands.
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Alhambar
The back of the Alhambar cinema hosts this popular venue for drinks, food and live music. Hung over on a Sunday? Come and cure it with brunch. The decor of feathers hanging from ceiling, zebra-print lampshades, and velvet couches is either creatively innovative or high-camp irony depending on interpretation.
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L’Aiglon
L’Aiglon is a Pâquis institution where anything goes! It does good steak frîtes (steak and chips) but is better known for wild parties and a great alternative, gay-friendly atmosphere. Again good music, DJs, electro…
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Qu'Importe
Never Mind makes no bones about its mission in life: 'qu'importe le facon pourvu qu'on ait livresse' ('Never mind the bottle as long as it gets you drunk…'), so said French Romantic poet and bar muse Alfred de Musset.
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Bâtiment des Forces Motrices
Geneva’s one-time riverside pumping station (1886) is now a striking space for classical music concerts, dance, ballet and other cultural events. Its Sunday-morning Musique sur Rhône concerts are particularly delightful.
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La Presse
After hours, the well-known institution is La Presse in Plainpalais, which closes at 2am and reopens for coffee and clubbers at 4am! Marez, the owner, knows how to keep people loyal…
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La Bretelle
Little has changed since the 1970s when this legendary bar opened. The Strap is just the place to tune into a good old accordion-accompanied French chanson. Indeed, there’s live music most nights.
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Les Recyclables
Sip coffee while glued to a book at this literary café with a difference. Committed to 'cultural recycling', Les Recyclables sells books and exchanges second-hand books for reading or edible matter.
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Olé Olé
An industrial tapas bar with giant street-facing windows and a bar lit by naked bulbs ensures a stop with a difference near the train station. The Italian place next door is a fine choice for dinner.
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Bypass
The Carouge spot to mingle, rub shoulders and chink verres with Genevan socialites. In the words of a reliable source: ‘Friday cheese, Saturday serious dance music’.
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Paillote
With wooden tables inches from the water, this place is packed full in summer. By 11pm the grassy lawns, quay and walls within a 20m radius of the kiosk overflow with merry punters.
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La Clémence
Indulge in a glass of local wine (Sfr3.80 to Sfr6) or artisanal beer (Sfr7.40) at this more-than-veritable Genevois café-bar fronting the city’s loveliest square.
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SIP
Soul Influenced Product is ‘not a nightclub’, according to the propaganda of this design-led space, an 1860s factory that blasts out a wholly mainstream sound.
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Boulevard du Vin
Wine sluggers will enjoy this excellent wine shop which doubles as a wine bar with its weekly dégustation sessions. Food platters add a gastronomic dimension.
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Arthur’s
If Arthur was real, he’d be called 007 and drink vodka martinis shaken not stirred at this drop-dead gorgeous lakeside terrace where aperitif lovers linger.
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Java Club
Visiting international DJs spin tunes alongside resident music man Massimiliano at this branché (trendy) dance floor, inside the Kempinski hotel.
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Le Caveau de Bacchus
Look out for the fantastic tasting soirées (Sfr70) run by this specialist wine shop; typically, nine different wines are tasted in an evening.
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Victoria Hall
Concert hall for both the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande (www.osr.ch) established in 1918 and the Orchestre de Chambre de Genève (www.locg.ch).
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White ’n Silver
Geneva beauties mingle at this Old Town designer nightclub in the space where the mythical Club 58 rocked Geneva in the ’50s and ’60s.
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Bistr'Ok
This ground-floor squat fronts Geneva's alternative cultural scene with its hybrid café-bar, cinema evenings, jam sessions and live bands.
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L'Usine
This grungy and youthful converted gold-roughing factory entertains with dance nights, art happenings, theatre, cabaret and club nights.
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La Plage
With bare wood tables, checked lino floor, green-wood shutters and tables outside, The Beach in Carouge is a timeless drinking hole.
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Melody’s
Melody’s is a new small bar in Pâquis with good DJs, tapas, after-hours parties and breakfast/brunch.
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