The best places for live music in Hong Kong

The Aftermath is not just a bar but rather a community for artists to explore their craft. It showcases a curated live music programme of independent local bands with the occasional night of comedy and cabaret thrown in. Paired with draft beers – including a constant lineup of artisanal craft beers – The Aftermath is a perfect place for those looking for a chilled night out with friends.

Aside from rooftop-restaurant Popinjays, The Murray hotel is also home to Cotton Tree Terrace. Located beside the building’s entrance and majestic arches, this pet-friendly al-fresco space allows guests to dine as they listen to live music performances. Be sure to stay up to date with any upcoming music on The Murray’s Facebook page.

As the name suggests, Dada Bar + Lounge embodies the artistic anarchy and whimsical flair of the Dadaism art movement. The bar's bizarrely hip décor makes you feel like you have stepped into a world entirely removed from the dense, neon-lit vibe of Hong Kong. Swing by Dada Bar + Lounge every Friday and Saturday to catch live band performances, which adds to their theatrical atmosphere.

Located inside Rosewood Hong Kong, DarkSide is a bar that pays homage to Kowloon's history as the ‘dark side’ of Hong Kong. While you make your way through DarkSide’s extensive library of craft cocktails and premium spirits like cognac, whisky, and calvados; you can unwind in their intimate atmosphere, complete with dim lighting, velvet draping, and plush chairs as you enjoy sultry jazz performances that take place every Thursday to Sunday from 8pm onwards. 

Located inside the historic Tai Kwun complex, Dragonfly is a cocktail lounge with an ambience inspired by the bohemian and art nouveau movements of the 19th and 20th centuries. Decorated with stained glass throughout their venue to create twinkling and dreamy lighting, Dragonfly has an out-of-this-world ambience. Catch live music performances on Friday and Saturday nights while you sip on their cocktail offerings.

Sat on top of Frank's Italian American Social Club, Frank’s Records is an intimate cocktail bar and listening lounge area that also has a record retail section that sells an extensive collection of hiphop vinyls, along with rock, jazz, soul, reggae, and electronica records. Follow Frank's Records' Instagram to stay up to date with their events, such as guest DJ appearances, themed evenings, and more. 

Step inside Fringe Club in Central to find the Fringe Dairy, one of the city's venues that dedicate themselves to jazz and cabaret, holding up to 80 seated or 150 standing guests. In addition to featuring a bar in its' venue, the Fringe Dairy's interior keeps some of the original features from its past as a former cold storage factory, such as the tiled floor, windows with wooden shutters, and overhead fans. 

There are numerous venues in town vying to capture the speakeasy cool that personified the Jazz Age and the sense of a night out being a real ‘event’, but few pull it off as well as effortlessly as Foxglove. This spot hosts weekly live events that run a gamut of genres which includes Latino, world music, and jazz nights, which they’re renowned for. Additionally, Foxglove's weekly music program consists of Star Search, where local amateurs can apply to perform in front of the crowds at the bar.

Decorated with thousands of butterflies dangling from their ceiling, The Iron Fairies is a picturesque bar and lounge with a fairytale concept. Currently, The Iron Fairies has a daily rotation of local musicans performing at their venue, such as Iris and The Rubicube who perform classic rock blues, Merilyn who plays everything from R&B to Afro-Carribean beats, and more. The bar also holds jazz nights on Mondays and reggae nights on Sundays. 

Lau Bak Livehouse is a bar, restaurant, and a performance space all in one. Their menu offers a classic selection of bar bites, pasta and risotto dishes, and even sharing plates like surf and turf with lobster and prime blade steak. When it comes to their drinks, Lau Bak's meu provides a selection of draught beers from local craft brewery Mak's. Most importantly, Lau Bak holds regular live music performances, which showcases the best that the city's music scene has to offer. Stay tuned to Lau Bak's Instagram to see their regularly updated schedule of live music sessions. 

It’s incredibly difficult to run a music-only venue and live houses these days often double as restaurants or bars, although they typically offer up great beats but lacklustre eats. Lost Stars, however, manages to impress as both a music venue and a restaurant, which is why it’s become such a popular hangout. Since opening, it’s already showcased a barrage of local acts, from singer-songwriter Mukzi to local boy band favourites Nowhere Boys. Check out their Facebook page to keep up to date with upcoming events.

Ned Kelly’s has attained legendary status for its fun, no-frills, unfussy atmosphere. With a live show that takes in a load of jazz and blues classics – presented with the kind of old-school flair that you don’t often see around (you haven’t lived until you’ve seen a grown man play a teapot as an instrument) – this is one of the best nights out you can have in Hong Kong.

Step underground into live music restaurant Quality Goods Club, sibling to Shady Acres and Honky Tonks Tavern. Your night of entertainment starts as live music performances take place from dinner service until 10pm, before DJ sets that range from disco, house, soul, Latin tunes, and more take over until late into the evening. Stay tuned to their Instagram to find their full lineup events throughout each month. 

Named after Jean Cocteau’s novel Les Enfants Terribles, Terrible Baby is a bar-cum-listening-room concept that’s part of Eaton HK hotel in Yau Ma Tei. The space boasts the Music Room – a live music venue that hosts audio-visual programmes and supports local artists, stand up comics. Additionally, Terrible Baby's terrace occasionally holds record swap and purchase fairs, where attendees can groove to funky tunes while browsing around and meet other music lovers.  

With over 35 years as a historic institution of Hong Kong's live music scene, The Wanch is back with a vengeance to bring the rock 'n' roll energy to Wan Chai. At a stone's throw from their previous location, The Wanch has transformed from a live-music venue holding 20 at an intimate squeeze into a vibrant gastropub, along with a 183sq ft stage fully kitted out with high-quality audio, visual, and lighting equipment to hold live performances. Find their full list of upcoming events on their website.