Nightlife info

Nightlife in Nairobi is bustling to say the least. Live music is everywhere and even nightclubs host a mix of DJ sets and guest bands. There are plenty of bars and discos in the city centre but the best are to be found in the suburbs, particularly in Westlands. Be warned: persistent prostitutes frequent many bars, even the more upmarket ones.

Bars in Nairobi

Casablanca
A chic Moroccan-themed lounge, Casablanca boasts cosy silk covered sofas, an inner room that resembles a Bedouin tent and some of the best shisha in Kenya. Enormously popular with the expat community, other highlights here include a comprehensive cocktail menu and a lengthy wine list – a rare commodity in Nairobi. It’s not the most feverish of bars, so don’t expect thumping house or live reggae bands, but it has style in spades and plenty of space to relax.
Address: Lenana Road, Hurlingham, Nairobi, Kenya
Telephone: +254 20 723 173.

Champagne & Fishbowls
One of the most upscale drinking spots in Nairobi, Champagne & Fishbowls is endorsed by Veuve Cliquot and really does serves up fishbowl cocktails in a variety of sensational hues. Part of the slick Seven restaurant, it might sound like a tacky homage to bling, but in reality it’s sleek, well-appointed and well-staffed. Yes, Nairobi’s flashier types congregate here, but it’s still worth a visit if only for the extensive champagne menu.
Address: Waiyaki Way, Westlands, Nairobi, Kenya
Telephone: +254 737 776 677.
Website: www.experienceseven.com

Gipsy Bar
A mixed crowd of expats and Kenyans gathers at this fun, friendly bar in the suburbs of Nairobi. Don’t expect a chic lounge or anything approaching it: the Gipsy Bar is cheerfully cheesy and boasts three themed rooms, including one that looks a bit like a gentleman’s club circa 1952. Music is a mix of imported pop, old-fashioned dad rock and African beats, and there’s a snack menu should you feel peckish in between beers.
Address: Woodvale Grove, Westlands, Nairobi, Kenya
Telephone: +254 20 444 0964.
Website: www.gipsybar.com

Lord Delamere Terrace
Named after one of the first British settlers to arrive in Kenya, the 3rd Baron Delamere, Hugh Cholmondeley, this elegant bar allows the colonial era to live on. Located at the smart Norfolk Hotel, visitors have been gathering at this historic watering hole since 1904 for a sundowner in front of the setting African daylight, and it’s still a prime spot in Nairobi for an evening gin and tonic. They also serve a great menu of European and Asian food.
Address: Harry Thuku Road, Central Business District, Nairobi, Kenya
Telephone: +254 20 226 5555.
Website: www.fairmont.com/norfolkhotel

Zanze Bar
This friendly top floor bar comes complete with pool tables, cheap food and a wide selection of drinks, including the ubiquitous Tusker and Safari brand lagers. It’s extremely busy at weekends, mainly thanks to its reasonably priced drinks menu and the even cheaper pool on offer. Zanze is always welcoming and attracts an eclectic crowd of mixed locals and expats, and although weekdays tend to be quieter, plenty of Nairobi city workers swing by for a cold beer on their way home from work.
Address: Moi Avenue, Central Business District, Nairobi, Kenya
Telephone: +254 20 222 532.

Clubs in Nairobi

Florida 2000
One of the biggest and coolest clubs in Nairobi, Florida 2000 is set in a warehouse-style space with a vast dance-floor, several bars and a barbecue restaurant called the Choma Cave. Packed come weekends, the club pulls in a boisterous crowd who dance shoulder to shoulder as the working week gives way. Local DJs spin on the decks, and visiting celebrities, like Coolio and Shaggy, have allegedly been spotted showing off their moves.
Address: Moi Avenue, Central Business District, Nairobi, Kenya
Telephone: +254 706 577 009.
Website: www.floridaclubskenya.com

New Florida Nightclub
One of Nairobi’s coolest dancing spots, this loud and lively nightclub in the heart of the Kenyan capital is known as the ‘Mad House’ - and it certainly lives up to its nickname at the weekend. The crowd is predominantly local, the music mixed and the atmosphere frenetic. Most of the locals stick to beer (Tusker and Safari are popular) but there’s no shortage of cocktails and mixers either. Arrive early enough to check out the building – it’s not dissimilar to a flying saucer that has collided with an office block.
Address: Koinange Street, Central Business District, Nairobi, Kenya
Telephone: +254 20 221 5014.
Website: www.floridaclubskenya.com/OurClubs/NewFlorida.aspx

Simba Saloon
If you want to be thrown straight into a Kenyan blowout, head to Simba Saloon along the road from the airport. This huge nightclub is also enormously popular with locals and is heaving on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday nights. The crowd is a mix of Kenyan party people, expat teenagers, global travellers and aid workers on their nights off. For the ultimate Nairobi night out, dine at the adjoining Carnivore restaurant, and then dance off dinner at Simba.
Address: Langata Road, Lang’ata, Nairobi, Kenya
Telephone: +254 20 600 5933.
Website: www.tamarind.co.ke/simba-saloon

Live Music in Nairobi

Klub House
With its rustic varnished log walls, bougainvillea-draped courtyard and safari-themed décor, Klub House may not be a sleek New York-style jazz club, but it’s still extremely good fun. DJs, jazz bands, reggae outfits and even country music stars grace the stage at this popular Parklands haunt where the drinks (mostly beer and spirits) come well-priced. As a result, it never really empties, particularly at weekends when it is packed all day and well into the early hours of the following morning.
Address: Ojijo Road, Parklands, Nairobi, Kenya
Telephone: +254 717 969 500.
Website: www.klubhouse.co.ke/index.php?id=1

Ngong Hills Hotel
Bands from across Kenya and East Africa play at this relaxed hotel venue on Ngong Road every day of the week but the Sunday Jam session is the most popular. There, you’ll find dancers and acrobats to entertain the children, and nyama choma (roast meat) for the adults. Drinks are relatively expensive by Nairobi standards, thanks in part to the hotel location and the largely expat clientele. Nonetheless, the cheerful atmosphere and live music more than make up for it.
Address: Ngong Road, Ngong Hills, Nairobi, Kenya
Telephone: +254 20 3860 894.
Website: www.ngonghillshotel.com

Simmers Restaurant
Don’t come here expecting a traditional pub experience, because what you’ll get is anything but. One of the most buzzing bars in the Central Business District, Simmers boasts a taproom stocked with every sort of booze imaginable and a tasty menu based on a mixture of Western classics and African favourites. But of all the diversions on offer, music is what Simmers is best known for, and its excellent house dancers are always on hand to show how the partying is done.
Address: Kenyatta Road, Central Business District, Nairobi, Kenya
Telephone: +254 20 217 659.

Theatre in Nairobi

Kenya National Theatre
Opposite the Norfolk Hotel, Nairobi's main playhouse puts on classic and contemporary drama and musicals, with the emphasis on Kenyan actors and playwrights. One of the best theatres in the region, the regular performances here are always packed. Although it’s the heart of the theatre scene in Kenya, theatre-goers are often treated to visiting shows from other African countries.
Address: Harry Thuku Road, Central Business District, Nairobi, Kenya
Telephone: +254 20 225 174

Professional Centre
Ignore its odd title; this small theatre venue is well worth checking out. As the name suggests, most of those who frequent its halls are professionals from the surrounding offices but don’t let that put you off: the theatrical and dance performances are second to none. Home to the well-known Phoenix Players theatre group, who regularly perform productions by western and Kenyan playwrights, it offers a more intimate playhouse experience than the Kenya National Theatre.
Address: Parliament Road, Central Business District, Nairobi, Kenya
Telephone: +254 20 225 506.