Marrakesh Entertainment

  1. Abyssin

    Like Lindsay Lohan at a garden party, you and your entourage can score your own plush, private pavilion at the Palais Rhoul. To get to your seat, you'll have to strut the runway in the middle of the reflecting pool. This may prove more difficult as the evening wears on and bottles of wine and champagne are drained - but you must walk this way to reach the bathroom, which has been thoughtfully padded with white leather from floor to ceiling.

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  2. Actor's

    Black, white, and always ready to make a scene, Actor's was recently launched at the Marrakesh International Film Festival to give crowds a place to bask in reflected red-carpet glory. The wall-sized black-and-white photos of pale models with enormous sunglasses, Sofia Loren hats and red lipstick set a kitschy '80s vibe. Midweek it's you and the DJ, but on weekends clubbers descend from Casablanca to revive the last days of disco.

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  3. Afric'n Chic

    This easygoing 'Afro-Brazilian Moroccan' hot spot run by a Brazilian-French couple draws local crowds for the happy hour. By the time the live samba and bossa nova kicks in, you'll be feeling the vibe, if not buying the odd 'Afro-Brazilian Moroccan' tapas standbys as baked Camembert, salmon tartare and Thai salad. Say what? Stick with the fun international crowd and Moroccan mint caipirinhas at the bar, and drink those borders away.

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  4. Bar du Soleil

    Wild raves for the Mamounia's gardens are a credit to its legions of gardeners but also the bartender at Bar du Soleil, who pours drinks extra strong on the patio at sunset to set that idyllic Mamounia mood. This occasion calls for a cognac or a top-shelf Mamounia cocktail of Grand Marnier, rum, juice and champagne, which, at around DH240 , gives a double meaning to the term stiff drink.

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  5. Bô Zin

    Ostensibly a restaurant with Thai touches, Bô Zin's real appeal is eye candy, Asian-Moroccan architectural razzle-dazzle, and break-out performances by diners including the likes of Salma Hayek. Go late and on weekends, when it's packed; otherwise, this enormous place is a party desperately waiting to happen. It's not that far from Pacha Marrakesh if you really want to make a night/morning of it.

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  6. Bougainvillea

    No matter how your souq bargaining sessions went today, good cheer is at hand in this upbeat purple riad practically wallpapered with whimsical abstract paintings of the Medina. Unwind with tea, coffee or soft drinks in the garden near the wall-o-water fountain, or in cosy bhous (seating nooks). The sandwiches are serviceable and the service is friendly, if not fast.

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  7. Café Arabe

    Gloat over souq purchases with cocktails on the roof or alongside the Zen- zellij (mosaic) courtyard fountain. Wine prices here are down to earth for such a stylish place, and you can order half-bottles of better Moroccan wines such as the peppery red Siroua S. The food is bland but the company isn't - artists and designers flock here - so grab a bite and join the conversation.

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  8. Café Argana

    One of the few cafés where you'll compete with locals for elbow room and a spectacular view of the Djemaa at sunset, when the restaurant stalls set up shop and the belly dancers begin to wriggle.

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  9. Café Des Épices

    Grab a prime spot above the healers and potion-dealers of the Rahba Qedima and watch the magic happen as you sip a reviving caffeinated beverage. The young Marrakshi staff are hip and easygoing, there's free wifi, and if you linger over mint tea long enough, the rooftop terrace offers a sunset view of the souqs. Salads and sandwiches are fresh but bland - all the more reason to skip to the sweets.

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  10. Café Des Négociants

    Cafés are usually the domain of older men in Morocco, but hipsters and headscarf-clad moms mingle with the old-timers here. The regulars have seen it all before: royalty, rebel rockers, supermodels, grandmothers and after a certain type of négociant (businessman) in clingy Dolce & Gabbana working the Café Atlas across the street. Enjoy the show for the around DH10 price of a truly eye-opening coffee; no alcohol.

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  11. Café Du Grand Balcon

    The best spot to catch all the action in the Djemaa, with permanent crowds on the front patio to prove it. Older gents hang out inside to avoid the patio jostling and panhandling on the patio, but only families and clandestine lovers actually go upstairs to the quiet 'grand balcon', where service is erratic at best. The OJ here is not freshly squeezed, but there are mean espressos, frothy cappuccinos, and proper tea with mint or steamed milk.

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  12. Café du Livre

    Where the literati of Marrakesh meet and flirt shamelessly over heated poetry discussions and killer chocolate cake. Join in the fray or casually eavesdrop (everyone does) as you tuck into a salad or take advantage of the wifi. Wall-to-wall bookshelves of new and used titles will never leave you wanting for riad reading material, and be sure to check the door downstairs for announcements of readings and other fabulous arty events.

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  13. Cinéma Colisée

    Most of the Marrakesh International Film Festival events are held at this plush cinema, so that might be David Lynch's seat you're sitting in - no wonder the evening seems a little surreal. Women come here frequently, without being asked if they come here often.

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  14. Cinéma Eden

    You don't know how rowdy cinema can get until you've caught a romantic comedy with the all-male audience in this mud-brick movie house tiled with broken plates, plastered with Bollywood posters and carpeted with peanuts. As Juan Goytisolo explains in Cinema Eden: Essays from the Muslim Mediterranean , only films with happy endings are allowed here - the management prefers evenings here to be a laugh riot, rather than any other kind.

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  15. Diamant Noir

    For its rare gay-friendly clientele on weeknights and seedy charm on weekends, the gravitational pull of 'Le Dia' is undeniable. The dark dance floor thumps with hip hop and gleams with mirrors and bronzer on exposed skin, while closeted Casablanca playboys hold court at the tables and professionals lurk at the shady end of the upstairs bar. Cash only.

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  16. Institut Français

    Since the Théâtre Royal's indoor theatre is still under construction, this is the main year-round venue for concerts by international musicians, performances by travelling dance troupes and independent Moroccan cinema. Flyers with programme listings can be found at most Marrakshi cultural institutions, including Dar Chérifa.

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  17. Jad Mahal

    Through the restaurant at the far end of the courtyard, the Jad Mahal's bar is a favourite local spot to linger over cocktails by the bronze elephant until staff crank up the volume on a catchy song, the house cover band arrives, or diners break into spontaneous dance moves over an '80s tune, whichever comes first.

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  18. Kosybar

    The Marrakesh-meets-Kyoto interiors are plenty fabulous, with 19th-century zellij (mosaic) bumping up against Shinto-shrine exposed beams, but skip the less-than-inspired sushi and head straight up to the roof terrace bar overlooking the Badi Palace. Here Moroccan wines are served with a side of samba, and storks give you the once-over from nearby nests.

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  19. La Casa

    Where else will you witness restaurant patrons deliver such a heart-rending, quasi-English rendition of an Usher R&B ballad, followed by double-jointed hip shaking to Jamaican dancehall and Egyptopop? Two-for-one specials on Red Bull and vodka from to get the dancing started before dinner ends, and give the neon Berber glyphs on the wall a hallucinatory glow.

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  20. Lawrence Bar

    One of two bars in the sprawling 350-room Sofitel, this advertises 'exclusive drinks' - meaning, what, your cocktail may be refused entry to your gullet if it's not properly attired? In reality this place is a freeloader's paradise, with access to a decent tapas buffet with a drink, and free bubbly if you cosy up to that diplomat splashing out the Dom Perignon rosé and don't mind the Cuban cigar smoke.

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  21. Le Comptoir

    More international advances are made within the candlelit red walls of this decadent Deco villa than in the receiving room of the royal palace down the street. Besotted Swiss bankers lock eyes with Rabati socialites over tapas, and Italian fashionistas bat eyelashes at Moroccan musicians and French rapper MC Solar while pretending to check out the merch at the Comptoir boutique.

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  22. Le Paradise

    The dance floor here doubles as a runway for Marrakesh's jet set, and it's taken such a relentless pounding over the years that it recently had to be redone. Now the redesigned two-story club has a snazzy new look, some trippy new light effects, and a 1st-floor bar called Le Before where you can summon some liquid courage before entering the fray.

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  23. Le Théâtro

    Before you even enter Le Théâtro, you'll feel its pulsating bass line tickle your toes. Don't bother schmoozing the bouncer for entry to the boring VIP area, because the dance floor is where the action is: packed, sweaty, carefree, fabulous. White nights do happen this close to the equator on Saturdays, when the crowd wears white and keeps going 'til dawn with a signature mix of house, techno, R&B and Moroc-pop.

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  24. Les Terrasses De L'alhambra

    Although there's a mosque right next door, somehow this place managed to procure a liquor license - though to respect local sensibilities, enjoy your beer inside or on the upper terrace, where you can watch the storytellers pull in the crowds at sunset. By day, the tasteful Moroccan-modern décor is a sight for souq-sore eyes, and Italian Illy espresso served under terrace tent awnings will sharpen your wits for bargaining.

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  25. Mamounia Casino

    As if drinking OJ from re-used glasses in the Djemaa el-Fna weren't enough of a gamble, just down the street is the Mamounia Casino. There are many places in Marrakesh that look like a Vegas version of Morocco, but the casino makes good on the comparison with blackjack, poker, baccarat, roulette and slot machines. Dress to pass the doorman's once-over - sorry, even high rollers don't get by in jeans.

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