7 Of The Best New (And Nearly New) Places In Danang To Eat, Drink, Daydream, And Dance
From the lush green lungs of the city up in the Son Tra Peninsula, to downtown Tran Phu and Bach Dang Streets with their iconic pink church, market and street food, to the beachfront promenade that now buzzes with shacks and bars, Danang has everything.
Đọc bài viết bằng Tiếng Việt
And then there’s the location: the gateway to Hoi An Ancient Town, and less than two hours drive from Hue. No wonder there’s lots of exciting new (and nearly new) bars and restaurants in Danang ready to serve the post-pandemic tourist influx.
Tailor Bar
You really could mistake this speakeasy for a tailor’s shop. There’s three dapper mannequins in the window, after all. But inside is a cozy little bar created by three Danang locals – two bartenders and their friend who does marketing – who are all passionate about good cocktails.
“The name and concept came to us in a coffee shop one day,” they tell us. “Tailor’s sew clothes, and somehow, good cocktails help to stitch people’s souls back together. After all, alcohol tastes better than tears, right?” As with any self-respecting speakeasy, the bar counter is the place to be. “Right,” the Tailor Bar team tells us, “sit at the bar and order one of our specials, like our Tiramisu cocktail, or test out the bartenders with a bespoke request.”
In Short: Immaculately turned out cocktails.
Location: 57 Tran Quy Cap, Danang
C Lounge
The ‘C’ stands for culture, the C Lounge team tells us. And so the space is divided into two. “The music room features a burlesque-style stage that hosts jazz, soul and blues bands, and occasionally guest DJs playing everything from funky house, to funk, soul and disco,” they explain. “And the other room features a long bar counter with comfy chairs and special tables for cigar smokers.” The culture extends beyond the stage. There’s art on the walls by two artists from Hue. “And we added ancient traditions and symbols everywhere, to incorporate them into our daily lives,” they add.
But, like the Tailor Bar, it’s not so easy to find. First, you have to pass through the garden-style Vietnamese restaurant out front. “Then heading up the stairs to C Lounge should give you the feeling of entering a time machine,” they laugh.
In Short: A hidden lounge full of culture.
Location: 100 Le Quang Dao, Danang
Karma Lounge
Entering Karma Lounge is like stepping into a tropical, art-filled oasis. There’s the signature central bar with glowing chandeliers that hang above it. And upstairs is a balcony that overlooks the bar and the dancefloor, and a languorous lounge cabana beneath a skylight.
“The idea of karma, in Buddhism and Hinduism, is that what we do (or have done in previous lives) affects what will happen in the next,” they explain. “And that means who we socialize with, what we eat and drink, and our surroundings all affect our karmic balance too. So, we wanted to create a space to keep guests balanced.”
Inside expect a soundtrack delivered by local and international DJs, some elegant mixology, and flavorsome shishas. “Prop up the bar beside the dancefloor and order a whisky highball with a splash of grenadine,” they recommend, “or take a seat at the table behind the DJ booth with some friends, and order a bottle of whisky, gin or wine, and a shisha. There, you can chill and talk, or when the mood strikes, dance with the DJs during their sets.”
In Short: A tropical, art-filled oasis, to redress your karmic balance.
Location: 6A Tran Quoc Toan, Hai Chau, Danang
Sophie Mixology
“To us, the name conjures up elegance and wisdom,” the Sophie Mixology team tells us. “And the name feels young and energetic, but enterprising and in control,” they add. That’s not to say Sophie Mixology is shyly feminine.
This lounge is also the place for a party with projections swirling across the DJ booth, shisha smoke curling through the air, and nights that dissolve into cocktail bowls and bottles of champagne before shots at the bar.
In Short: Sophie likes to party.
Location: 150 Bach Dang, Danang
Olivia’s Prime Steakhouse
Olivia’s isn’t new, but this location is. Down along Vo Nguyen Giap Street, the team runs the fun and carefree Texas BBQ meets sports bar, Dirty Fingers. But at Olivia’s Prime Steakhouse the focus is on, as you might guess, prime cuts of beef. “And we cook them on our wood-fired grill,” Scott, who opened this steakhouse with his partner Olivia, says, “which adds an unparalleled dimension of flavor to our premium imported beef.”
They also serve seafood, pork and chicken licked with flame and smoke “to awaken your primal instincts.” And there’s pasta, salads, steak tartare and a beef carpaccio, “plus some southern comfort foods – a New Orleans chicken and sausage gumbo, deviled eggs, and homemade Cajun pork jerky & sausages – just like grandma used to make.”
At Olivia’s Prime, they also recreate warm southern hospitality where everyone’s welcome, from tourists in shorts to businessmen in suits. “We’re an upmarket steakhouse, with upmarket service, but without the pretensions,” Scott smiles.
In Short: Grandma approved wood-fired steaks and more.
Location: Ground Floor, Indochina Mall, 74 Bach Dang, Hai Chau, Danang
Contact: Facebook | Instagram | Website
Paradise Beach Danang
Danang is something of a tourist’s paradise. And, now, there’s a beach bar sharing the title. “Three of us had the idea for Paradise…for selfish reasons,” John Gnoni laughs. “We just wanted a good beach bar to hang out in right on the sand next to the sea.”
And so they opened Paradise, although things didn’t go completely to plan. “We had the concept in progress in 2020, and then the pandemic happened. We eventually ended up opening in May 2022.” Fortunately, John’s been in the business for 20 years, and operated beach bars in locations as diverse as Castaway Key in the Bahamas and Brighton on England’s south coast, so Paradise, when it finally opened, hit the ground running.
“Right,” John nods, “we incorporated elements of the Mediterranean, Caribbean, and French Polynesia in the decor, and there’s some gems on the playlist.” The decked terrace with a round bar at one end is perfect for people watching, maybe with a bowl of their signature seafood noodles “because we’re by the beach after all” and depending on the time of day signature cocktails, coffees, teas, wines, draft and bottled lagers and ales, smoothies, juices, and soft drinks. And down on the sand there’s bean bags. “Oh, and we have Danang’s biggest outdoor cinema screen…” John adds finally.
In Short: Beachside Paradise found!
Location: Vo Nguyen Giap, Danang
SAGA Music Bar Danang
Passion is usually a good starting point for any project. And that’s true of SAGA Danang, which was dreamed up by two Romanian brothers, Stefan and Mihai, who cut their teeth in the Manchester party scene and felt Danang needed more places for underground sounds.
Their friend used to run the bar in the same location, and they took it upon themselves to give the place a revamp. “He told us this places spirit animal was a cat,” Stefan smiles. “And so that became the signature of the second chapter for this space.”
There’s a jungle-cat mural on the wall outside, and through the tinted glass doors is a darkly lit lounge, with sofas and jungle decor. And beyond the bar is a dance floor even though the SAGA Danang team are quick to remind is this isn’t a club. “We prefer to call it a music bar with space to dance,” Stefan adds.
It’s also a space for niche scenes to find a home. “Our ‘Boogie’ night is aimed at the dance community and welcomes b-boys, popping and house dancers, and there’s electronic live jams, in collaboration with Mutant Lounge, and the occasional hard techno and gabba night.”
In Short: A music lounge for underground sounds and culture.
Location: 35 An Thuong 10, Danang
