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…
Lose yourself in the soulful 1930s nightclub vibe at Mavis in a historic building on the Westzeedijk. Dance into the early hours on weekends to (vinyl) classics by Ella Fitzgerald, Stevie Wonder and Curtis Mayfield. Or sip on a delicious cocktail or glass of wine while swaying at the bar or on the dance floor. Mavis is a tribute to American soul singer Mavis Staples and is close to the Witte de Withstraat: so it’s the perfect spot to go dancing after dinner or drinks.
Mavis
FERRY wants and offers a place where everyone can dance without inhibitions, with diversity at its core. What started as a magazine in 2011, grew into a meeting place for the LGBTQ+ community in Rotterdam. Step into a welcoming haven where everyone can be themselves while enjoying the music and menu. A DJ plays the hits of today and the past every Friday and Saturday. Admission there is free, and you will feel free.
Ferry - Vera Bos
Many well-known bands started on Rotown’s stage. This is the go-to place for great live music and legendary dance nights on the famous Nieuwe Binnenweg. But Rotown also does well as a pub, restaurant and vegan snack bar. This Rotterdam icon manages to reinvent itself again and again but still maintains its essence. And that is pretty impressive. From dancing to ‘I Bet You Look Good on the Dance Floor’ to games night, Rotown is worth a visit.
Rotown - Ruben Hamelink
Dancing in a former underground metro station: what’s not to love? Underground nightclub Toffler, also known as ‘The Tunnel’ and a household name in the techno and house scene for years, is less than five minutes from Rotterdam CS. The doors and dance floor open every Friday and Saturday, and it sounds like the metro is running again. Toffler hosts an annual indoor festival for over 5,000 visitors at the Submarine Wharf (M4H).
toffler - Jaap Beyleveld
After your dinner or pub crawl on the Witte de Withstraat, you won’t want to go home just yet; it’s time to dance! You’ll find Superdisco in a dark basement on the Schiedamse vest in the heart of the entertainment area. ‘Bringing together artists and the restless’ is the promise, just like the big, shiny disco ball. You can dance here until the early hours from Thursday to Saturday. Let’s Superdisco!
This small, colourful and cosy pub has a stellar reputation as a popular gay bar in the city centre, in the street of the same name. Its doors open early evening and do not close until dawn. Not surprisingly, this is where many people drop in for a nightcap after a night on the dance floor. The annual extravagant Keerweer Parade is notorious: expect Dutch performers and flamboyant drags. Whether you drop by early or late, the Keerweer is always fun, which is why so many return.
Keerweer Vera Bos
At BIRD, you experience an almost tangible love of music. The club has its roots deep in jazz – the place is named after jazz saxophonist Charlie ‘Bird’ Parker for a reason – but you can also visit for soul, funk, hip-hop and electronica. Here you’ll experience a relaxed night one week and a jamming night the next. The Birdsessions – a ‘musical free for all’ for musicians – are also a party.
Bird
The best parties happen in unexpected places: an old, rusty boat, underground tunnel or, in this case, big shipping container. This is the home of Containerbar Noord, a beer garden and party spot on Noordplein in Oude Noorden. Check out Golfslag, where the best house records play, or the weekly Club Cobano.
On the edge of the city centre, in the creative ZOHO (Zomerhofkwartier), MONO – that place with an innovative rain garden on its doorstep – made a name for itself in recent years as a go-to spot for everyone from the neighbourhood and beyond; with quirky parties, live performances, an open atmosphere and ditto audiences. MONO is the ideal venue to end the evening/night after tasting home-brewed beers at Brewpub Reijngoud or tossing a ball at Mooie Boules: Jeux des boules in a pub setting around the corner.
You can dance all day at club BIT. Housed in an old building on the site of artist and phenomenon Joep van Lieshout, this hotspot for electronic music has a 24-hour licence. Despite the intensity of the concept behind BIT, the atmosphere is intimate, with room for up to 400 people. BIT is the cherry on top at M4H: a neighbourhood bursting with creative entrepreneurs and artists. Tip: in summer, don’t miss the Keilecafé next door – from the same owners as BIT – for the ultimate festival vibes.
Weelde, on Marconistraat, is also at M4H and portrays itself as the free state of Rotterdam. Its relaxed yet uninhibited ambience is the result of everything that comes together here: music, theatre, art, performances, food, drinks, skating and dancing. Besides the club and restaurant, Weelde also has a city and vegetable garden, urban beach, pizza bar and skate pool. Entertainment is allowed to run rampant, and the creativity of uninhibited bon vivants and free spirits flourishes. All that thrives has an end date: eventually, this place will disappear because of redevelopment, so enjoy it while you can!
Weelde - Jeroen Roest
