Nightlife in Rotterdam

Like so much else in Rotterdam – the architecture, the people, their cultures and customs – the city’s nightlife is filled with contrasts. Glamorous cocktail bars and classic pubs, hip and happening dance clubs and intimate concert venues. Depending on what you like to do when you hit the town and what mood you’re in, Rotterdam can offer you wildly different nights out. It’s all up to you!

Underground or rooftop?

The flavour of the city’s nightlife is largely defined by the mindset of the Rotterdam locals, who are reluctant to compromise on anything. Whatever they do, they do it right. So a biergarten in Rotterdam is exactly what you need it to be: a garden with solid wooden benches, large mugs of beer and sizzling sausages fresh from the grill. Looking for the underground scene? Here in Rotterdam, it’s literally underground: Toffler is a house and techno club situated in a former metro tunnel.

Toffler Festival

Biergarten

Surprising

One of Rotterdam’s most popular nightlife areas is Witte de Withstraat. Besides the street’s many restaurants, its pubs, cosy cafés and stylish wine and cocktail bars attract a varied crowd. Tourists, locals, students, intellectuals, creative professionals, colleagues enjoying drinks after work: they all rub shoulders on a good Friday or Saturday night, in an exuberant and cheerful atmosphere.

Duck into the side streets to discover the city’s most enjoyable nightlife hotspots. The tropical charm of the Tiki Bar, for instance, or Café LaBru with its vintage New York interior. If you like experimental music, the line-up at WORM always offers intriguing surprises, while Wunderbar serves tasty beers and fritz-kolas.

A similar vibe can be discovered at the head of Nieuwe Binnenweg, where several of the city’s most popular cafés and clubs are located: Rotown, Stalles, Bar3 and Club Vibes. Rotown is a café and restaurant during the day, but the chairs and tables are cleared away in the evening to make room for concerts and parties. An interesting concentration of nightlife is also emerging in the area around Rotterdam Central. Stroll from (jazz) club BIRD straight to the pop stage at Annabel, which organises popular party nights in the weekend.

Witte de Withstraat

Bird

Dâk, the pop-up rooftop bar that opens every summer

Gay Friendly

Rotterdam nightlife is also gay friendly, with quite a few bars and clubs. In the ‘gay triangle’ between the Churchillplein, Westblaak and Van Oldenbarneveltstraat you’ll find localities like Strano, the KeerWeer, and FERRY.
You can find more information gayrotterdam.nl.

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A tour of the city in 12 modern-classic pubs

These days, a good pub offers more than a decent glass of beer (poured with 2 fingers of foam in the Netherlands!), a stool and a listening ear behind the bar. Some brew their own liquid gold, and others mix excellent cocktails or combine a drink with vinyl or vintage sales. And in some places, you can spot young talent during live performances. Plenty to enjoy and discover at these pubs, bars, cocktail pubs and restobars that effortlessly combine timeless and innovative. We selected 12 of them, spread across the city.

The Rotterdam Night

Whether you opt for bands and beers, want to party all night long or leisurely enjoy a cocktail or two, Rotterdam has the ideal spot for every reveller. We highlight 11 vibrant, quirky, innovative and open-minded places to go if you feel like partying. From wallflowers to party animals, everyone is welcome. The abundance of energy means the night in Rotterdam seems to last just that little bit longer…

Where you least expect it

Looking for a truly unique experience? Don’t get stuck on a single location. The best parties travel throughout the city, popping up at unexpected moments in old silos, hotel lobbies and unoccupied buildings. The pop concerts organised as part of the Motel Mozaïque concept are hosted in widely diverse locations, from the Rotterdamse Schouwburg theatre and De Doelen concert hall to the industrial Maassilo in Rotterdam South. How can you figure out where it’s hot and happening this weekend?

Check our agenda to get the truly local flavour, ask the locals you bump into!