NIGHTLIFE IN PENANG
While nightlife in Penang (Pulau Pinang) has nothing to compare with islands like Koh samui & Phuket in Thailand, there are still plenty of activities for you to fill your night. Most of the nightlife in Penang is in Upper Penang Road Georgetown, across from the Eastern & Oriental (E&O) Hotel, it is a very popular nightspot for both locals and tourists. The tiny island offers a unique mixture of night entertainment like nightclubs, pubs, rooftop bars, live bands bistros, beach clubs & many more.
40 Best Nightlife In Penang
Table of Contents
Toggle6 Best Nightlife in Bayan Lepas
Good sound system for karaoke & great ambiance. Perfect place to chill with small group of friends. Less choice of beer but price is slightly cheaper than others.
Address: Bayan Baru, 11900 Bayan Lepas, Penang.
Operation hour: 4:30 pm to 2 am. Close on Sunday.
A hidden gem with wide selections of a wine. Serves great varieties of food like lamb chop, beef steak, bacon pizza, roast pork, salmon teriyaki, etc. This is definitely an excellent place for quality food & wines.
Address: 60G & 62G, Persiaran Mahsuri, Bayan Baru, 11950 Bayan Lepas, Penang.
Operation hour: 10 am to 10 pm.
A nicely set-up bar & bistro with indoor & outdoor seating. They serve decent food such as roasted pork, spaghetti, pizza, squid, etc. Live band, pool table & dart are also available in this venue.
Address: 18-G, Persiaran Bayan Indah, 11900 Bayan Lepas, Penang.
Operation hour: 2 pm to 12 am.
If you are the fan of German beers, this is the right place for you. A great ambiance German style bistro with live sport tv channel. They serve quality food and wide range of German beers both in draught & bottle.
Address: G-1-1, Bay Avenue, Lorong Bayan Indah 1, Bay Avenue, 11900 Bayan Lepas.
Operation hour: 11:30 am to 12 am.
Great environment wine bar with live band & darts. This is a perfect place to hangout with friends for happy hour, especially after work to avoid the jam during evening. They serve both local & imported beers.
Address: G-02, 7, Lorong Bayan Indah 1, Bay Avenue, 11900 Bayan Lepas.
Operation hour: 4 pm to 12 am.
This well decorated bar with welcoming atmosphere is definitely the best venue to experience the ice-cold beer. There are indoor & outdoor seating areas which could cater larger group of drinkers. Offer cheap price for all beers during happy hour until 9 pm.
Address: Summerton, 110-01-22/23/23A, Persiaran Bayan Indah, 11900 Bayan Lepas.
Operation hour: 4 pm to 12 am.
21 Best Nightlife in Georgetown
01 Good Friends Club 好友俱乐部
An interesting club with unique interior decoration that offers chill and cosy vibe. The moderate background music allows you to chat with friends in your normal tone. They serve superb cocktails at very affordable price. One of the best nightlife in Penang.
Address: 39, Jalan Gurdwara, George Town, 10300 George Town.
Operation hour: 7 pm to 12 am. Close on Tuesday.
Magazine 63, is another unique hidden gem in Penang with amazing & stunning ancient Chinese style bar. There is nothing special outside even with no signboard, but once you push the 2nd door (after the steel gate), there is totally a different world inside.
Address: 63, Jalan Magazine, 10300 George Town, Penang.
Operation hour: 4 pm to 12 am.
D’loovi’s, a beautifully decorated restaurant bar which serve both local & Western cuisine especially the local home-made fusion food and wide selection of alcoholic drinks. This small little bar also offers live band playing 80’s & 90’s slow rock & blues.
Address: 24, Lebuh Melayu, George Town, 10200 Georgetown Penang.
Operation hour: 10 am to 12 am.
The Canteen At ChinaHouse is not just a normal bar, it is also a restaurant, bakery, art gallery and performance venue for different live bands. Live bands here playing a diverse selection of music from jazz and soul to R&B and indie.
Address: 183B, Lebuh Victoria, George Town, 10300 George Town, Penang.
Operation hour: 2 pm to 12 am.
W Pub Penang, an upscale pub with classy interior decoration & stunning neon lights that offers reasonable price for most of the beers during happy hour. Live band & pool table are also available in this elegant pub. Claiming the most instagram-worthy pub in Penang.
Address: Ground Floor, No.12, 14 & 16, Church St, 10200 Georgetown, Penang.
Operation hour: 5 pm to 12 am. Close on Sunday.
06 Chulia Street – Street Food Paradise
Chulia Street has developed a reputation as a destination for budget travelers since the early 20th century. Budget hostels and guesthouses, along with businesses like laundries, restaurants, bars and travel agencies, are now operating out of the road lining shophouses’ rows. In recent years, the street has become a famous venue for its hawker food stall along the road.
There are dozens of restaurants serving all sort of Western & local dishes. The small night market of hawkers stall that set up here during the evening are mainly selling Chinese food such as wantan noodles, popiah, loh bak, Hokkien mee, curry noodles etc. Besides the food, there are also bunch of bars that offer cheap beers & other alcoholic drinks.
Among the recommended outlets nearby: Last Drop, Reggae Club, Hong Kong Bar, The Pokok, Monaliza Café, Mystery Village Cafe & Pub, Fidalgo, Chulia Court The Tavern & The Tipsy Cow.
Best nightlife in Penang for street food lovers.
07 Love Lane – The Street for Food, Budget Hotels, Bars & Cafes
With the unique pre-war shop-houses, Love Lane is a famous street for its restaurants, bars, cafes & budget accommodation which lies within the zone of the George Town Unesco World Heritage Site.
This is a popular location for most of the backpackers due to its cheap hostels & bunch of bars & cafes at very affordable price all-in-one street. These are among the most popular outlets in Love Lane: The Loft, Holy Guacamole, Wheeler’s, The Guitarist 71, Wooden Tipsy, Treffpunkt 88, Micke’s Place & Legacy Spa.
– Best nightlife in Penang for budget travelers.
Manchu Bar, an amazingly well decorated bar that brings you back to the ancient Qing Dynasty era. This Manchurian-themed hidden bar offers great live band & serves all sort of cocktails and other alcoholic drinks. – Best nightlife in Penang for Instagram session.
Address: 38 & 40, Jalan Pintal Tali, George Town, 10100 George Town, Penang.
Operation hour: 4 pm to 12 am.
Starz Club, is the largest & the most happening night club in Penang. The club equipped with amazing lighting & excellent sound system create an unforgettable clubbing experience for its visitors. The different DJ groups will definitely bring you the awesome atmosphere every night. – Best nightlife in Penang for clubbing.
Address: 130, Jln Penang, George Town, 10000 George Town, Penang.
Operation hour: 9 pm to 3 am.
Do you believe the orange fridge in the picture here is the main door of this hidden bar? This is really a very interesting venue with quirky access to the cocktails bar. They serve quality cocktails & this is the real fun place to hangout with a group of friends.
Address: 73, Jalan Kuala Kangsar, George Town, 10100 George Town, Penang.
Operation hour: 11 am to 11 pm.
Mish Mash Penang is inspired by the quaint sidewalk bistro bars of Europe that located right in the heart of George Town. Serving a variety of beverages, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic. Mish Mash specializes in cocktails and mocktails of all flavours.
Address: 24, Muntri St, Georgetown, 10200 George Town, Penang.
Operation hour: 11 am to 11 pm.
Soho Freehouse & Penthouse is an award winning bar with excellent interior decoration. It is well known as the British style pub fitted with glittering chandeliers on the ceiling together with the fittings to give you a classic ambiance.
Address: 50, Jln Penang, George Town, 10000 George Town, Penang.
Operation hour: 12 pm to 12 am.
13 Upper Penang Road
If you’re looking for the concentrated nightlife in Penang, there’s always Upper Penang Road where youth-filled clubs, pubs and bars are always crowded. There are bunch of bars along the street like Olive Kitchen+Bar, The Beach Bar, Monkey Bar, MOIS Club, Pink Club, Farquhar’s Bar and many more.
Address: George Town, Jln Penang, 10000 George Town, Penang.
With breathtaking panoramic views over colonial Penang, Georgetown boasts the one and only revolving restaurant and Penang’s first roof top bar. The revolving Restaurant provides dining and lounge space and an open-air Sky Bar. – Best nightlife in Penang for couples.
Address: 25-A, Lebuh Farquhar, George Town, 10200 George Town, Penang.
Operation hour: 4 pm to 12 am.
HeiHei Club (means Happiness) is quite similar to the concept of Manchu Bar with unique Oriental Chinese theme. A stunning fusion of Western and Eastern renovation produces an aura that reflects the glamour of the century old Shanghai with its neon lights.
Address: Ground Floor, Wisma Boon Siew, No. 1, Jln Penang, Georgetown, Penang.
Operation hour: 4 pm to 12 am.
Well known as a fine dining restaurant with outdoor seating which allows you enjoy the stunning sunset view while having your romantic dinner. Offering both Western & Asian cuisine, this place is probably the best place & best nightlife in Penang for young couples.
Address: 32, Jln Sultan Ahmad Shah, George Town, Penang.
Operation hour: 12 pm to 12 am.
Gravity, the alfresco rooftop bar is located at 24th floor of G Hotel Kelawai. The bar offers a wide range of wines, cocktails & mocktails coupled with bites and light snacks in a relaxed atmosphere with warm lights and soothing music.
Address: Level 24, G Hotel Kelawai, 2, Lorong Maktab, 10250, Penang.
Operation hour: 5 pm to 1 am.
18 Gurney Drive Hawker Centre
Gurney Drive is a popular promenade on the seafront within George Town , Penang, Malaysia. Also famous for street cuisine at the hawker centre on the seafront, the road has been listed as one of the world’s 25 best streets to be visited by Australian travel magazine, The Traveler. This is the biggest street food or hawker centre in Penang.
Address: 172, Solok Gurney 1, Pulau Tikus, 10250 Jelutong, Penang.
Operation hour: 5 pm to 11 pm.
A traditional Thai restaurant at Straits Quay overlooking the beautiful iconic marina serves fantastic, authentic Siamese cuisine. The restaurant provides a beautiful sea view, where diners can opt to dine in an air-conditioned atmosphere or outdoor seating.
Address: 3A-G-11 Straits Quay Straits Quay, Tanjung Tokong, Georgetown, Penang.
Operation hour: 12 pm to 1 am.
Healy Mac provides the best conceptualized Irish environment with a feeling of warmth and contentment. Set in an authentic Irish setting, Healy Mac’s is an awesome place for quality food and drinks with family and friends. – Best nightlife in Penang with family.
Address: 3A-G9 & 10, Straits Quay, Tanjung Tokong, Penang.
Operation hour: 11 am to 2 am.
Most probably the first & only Aussie Pub & restaurant in Georgetown. They offer a wide range of grill meats and some Burgers and Pasta. The setup is more like a bistro with a stage at the back (live music performances are on certain days).
Address: 3C-G-1 Straits Quay Marina, Tanjung Tokong, Penang.
Operation hour: 11 am to 1 am.
6 Best Nightlife in Tanjung Bungah
01 Viva Local Food Haven
This is the most popular hawker centre located in Tanjung Tokong main road, Tanjung Bungah. It is always crowded with both local and foreign tourists. The food court offers a wide range of local food such as char kuey teow, assam laksa, satay, prawn noodle, grilled seafood, lobak, etc. – Best nightlife in Tanjung Bungah, Penang for food lovers.
Address: Lot 303, Jalan Tanjung Tokong Lama, Penang
Operation hour: 10:30 am to 3 pm. 5 pm to 12 am
Elementos Bar is an upscale and happening place for you to chill with your friends and family over some appetizing tapas and cocktails. At Elementos, the atmosphere and breathtaking view of the Andaman sea sunset is certainly a captivating sight.
Address: 533, Jalan C M Hashim, Tanjung Tokong, 11200 Tanjung Bungah, Pulau Pinang
Operation hour: 11 am to 12 am.
Vintage Bulgaria Restaurant & Bar is something you shouldn’t miss if you want to try out something new as part of your culinary adventure. The beautiful Bulgarian theme restaurant offers Bulgarian cuisine combined with original Bulgarian wine and cold beer.
Address: 1E, Jalan Sungai Kelian, 11200 Tanjung Bungah, Pulau Pinang
Operation hour: 5 pm to 12 am. Close on Monday
This is another big name in Penang for authentic European food German restaurant just next to Vintage Bulgaria Restaurant above. It is renowned for its tasty food, large portioned and reasonably priced German cuisine. They also serve many types of German beers here.
Address: 1, Jalan Sungai Kelian, Tanjung Tokong, 11200 Tanjung Bungah, Penang.
Operation hour: 12 pm to 3 pm. 6 pm to 11 pm. Close on Sunday.
Not just wine, The Wine Shop also offers great Western cuisine like fish & chips, pizzas, pastas, BBQ chicken, roast pork & many more. They have easily more than 1,000 labels of wine France, Spain, Australia, German, etc. – Best nightlife in Penang for wine lovers.
Address: 11200 Tanjung Bungah, Penang
Operation hour: 9 am to 1 am. Close on Sunday.
06 Tanjung Bungah Night Market
Night market (or Pasar Malam in Malay) is a popular hangout place for local to look for all sorts of food, clothes, bags, shoes, gadgets, sun glasses, etc. Even though this night market is slightly small, but you can easily spend at least an hour to enjoy all the great food here.
Address: 598-GF-0, Jalan Tanjung Bungah, 11200 Tanjung Bungah, Penang.
Operation hour: 5:30 pm to 10 pm Tuesday only.
7 Best Nightlife in Batu Ferringhi
The upscale and award-winning poolside bar offers a fantastic & romantic dining experience for all visitors. The alfresco dining area right beside the beach serves excellent cocktails, fusion food & cozy coconut drink. A picturesque sunset view is another main attraction of this bar.
Address: 7-11 Batu Feringgi, 1, Lorong Sungai Emas, Kampung Tanjung Huma, Penang.
Operation hour: 11 am to 10 pm.
Sigi’s Bar and Grill at Golden Sands Resort provides a laid-back atmosphere which is more ideal for family getaway in Penang. They serve fantastic buffet with BBQ grilled lobsters, prawns, pizzas, pasta, etc. – Best nightlife in Batu Feringhi, Penang for family.
Address: Batu Feringgi Beach, 11100 Penang.
Operation hour: 11 am to 10 pm.
This is an uniquely decorated restaurant right in front of the sea with great ambiance & picturesque sunset view. Serving both international & local cuisine at competitive prices. A spacious venue with indoor & outdoor seating, but make sure to call for reservation before visiting as the restaurant is extremely crowded in the evening.
Address: Lot 415, Jalan Batu Ferringhi, 11100 Batu Ferringhi, Penang.
Operation hour: 12 pm to 11:30 pm.
Truly a hidden gem in Penang with the romantic lush greenery ambiance, beautiful landscaped garden, the mini waterfall and koi pond tranquilly effect, all kinds of flowering potted plants extend from the main entrance all the way to the back of the restaurant.
Address: 34, Jalan Batu Ferringhi, Kampung Batu Feringgi, Penang.
Operation hour: 12 pm to 11:30 pm.
05 Batu Feringghi Night Market
This is one of the must-visit night markets in Penang as there are close to 100 stalls in this market including those along the roadside. Food, electronic & electrical products, souvenirs, artificial jewelry, handbags; you name it they have it. Bargain until they sell.
Address: Jalan Pantai Batu, Taman Pantai Batu, Penang.
Operation hour: 7 pm to 12 am.
The restaurant has been recently renovated and retains its iconic rock and roll style. There’s a stage just below a chandelier where a live band plays every evening. Now an awesome new look, new charming vibes and new menu that set to make a different evening for you.
Address: Hard Rock Hotel, Batu Ferringhi Beach 11100, Pulau Pinang
Operation hour: 12 pm to 12 am.
Another hidden gem of Batu Ferringhi. This beautiful beachfront bar has both indoor & outdoor seating serving Western & Oriental Cuisine, selection of beers, wine, cocktails, mocktails, and fresh juices. A perfect place for stunning sunset view.
Address: 338, Jalan Tanjung Bungah, Penang.
Operation hour: 10 am to 12 am.