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NIGHT LIFE IN ATHENS: Clubs, Bars, Pubs, Discos, Live Music, DJs, Rembetika, Jazz, Latin and Gay
They say the nightlife of Athens rivals that of New York, London and Paris and maybe surpasses those cities. One thing is for certain. You won't find more restaurants, bars, discos and clubs in a smaller area than you will in Athens with the majority of the nightlife being in central areas like Psiri, Plaka, and Thission and everything else being accessable by the metro. This is a listing of some of the different clubs.
Thanks to Dorian Kokas and Michalis Orphanides, two famous musicians and friends who helped compile this list and told me their favorite places. These clubs come and go so call first to make sure they still exist and if they don't, or if you know one that should be listed please let me know. You can also find club info in the Athenorama Magazine which comes out every week. It is in Greek though. Check also Athens version of Time-Out and the Athens News for special events like touring musical groups. Many of these clubs are closed in the summer so call first. See also my page for going out late in Athens
REMBETIKA MUSIC CLUBS
These are my favorite type of clubs. Most serve food and some of the acts are top-notch. Call for programs. For more information on Greek Music go to my Rembetika page
REMBETIKI ISTORIA : 181 Ippokratous Street, Excarchia, Athens - tel: 210 6424937 Authentic rembetika by Pavlos Vasileiou and his band. Closed on Mondays. Mimi Rekkas says this is the best! The photo on the left is taken there.
NTOYZENI 8 Makroyianni near the Acropolis. Open Thursday through Sunday with four Rembetika singers. ( tel.210 9227597, 210 9219427) Matt likes this place or did when Poli Panou was playing there..
PERIVOLI T' OYRANOU Lisikratous 19, Plaka. Six Rembetika singers, cozy atmosphere. Closed Sunday and Monday. Babis Tsertos plays here. (Click here for info on Babis Tsertos.)( tel. 210 3235517, 210 3222048 )
STOA ATHANATON Sofokleos 19. Six Rembetika singers including Takis Benes. Food & drinks . Open 3:30 p.m- 7:30 p.m. and at night. Closed Sunday.
DIPLOCHORDON 13 Ag. Lavras & Galatsiou Ano Patissia. Two Rembetika singers, one Rembetist violin in musical scheme. Closed Mon. & Tue. tel.210 2283867.
PONTIKI 9 Eptanisou, Kypseli. New & Old "laika" music. Closed Mon. & Tue.
ASTROFEGGIA 294 Patission, Agios Loukas. Seven singers, traditional violin. Closed Mon. Tue. wed. Tel.210 2210160.
MATTS PICK! MISIKLEOUS 22 Mnisikleous ,Plaka. It burned down during the winter of 2005 but is probably up and running again. Open Thu. through Sun. (210 3225558 ).
STATHMOS 22 Mavromateon, Pedio tou Areos (Green Park) Four singers. Thu. through Sun. Tel.210 8832393 & 210 8220883.
KAVOURAS 64 Themistoklous, Exarchia. Three member laiko and Rembetoko group. Closed Sun. Tel.210 3810202. TAVERNAS WITH LIVE GREEK MUSIC
AMBELOFILO 3 Karagiani & Samothrakis, Kypseli. Light Greek Island music. Traditional Greek food. Call for days and hours. Tel.210 8678862. (recommended by Michaelis)
ELAFOKINIGOS 5 Stavrou street ,Girokomeio. Specializing in all types of game
( fowl,deer, etc ) closed Monday.( tel.210 8252767 ).
ETHNIC LATIN and Other Clubs
PALENQUE 41 Farantatou,Goudi.Open every night.Live bands.Latin party every Sat.Every Sunday live tango with famous Latin bands.Every Monday Cuban Salsa party.
Tue: live flamingo.Wed: live Cuban ,Latin dancing.Lessons every Sun throughThu.early.
( highly recammended by Michaeli ) TEL: 210 7487548.
AISOPOU MYTHOS Aisopou 11, Psyrri, Plaka.Wine bar, live jazz & ethnic with
alternating bands. No music on mondays.(210 3310884 )
KSEXASMENO PIGADI Ag. Lauras 87, ANO PATISIA. Rock, Latin, Blues, Jazz, Wednesday- Sunday. (highly recommended by Michaelis ). TEL:210 22283063
Asante : Damareos 78. Pangrati. Tel. 210 756-2102
Caraho : A Soutsou 15. Kolonaki. Tel.210 363-5031
Folie : Eslin 2. Ambelokipi. Tel. 210 646-9852
Cubanita Havana Club 28 Kariaskaki in Psiri. Live latin band and latin DJ, food and dancing all night long. Just around the corner from Iroon Square. This place can get pretty wild at night and lots of fun. Great band. Tel. 210 331 4605
ROCKLAND 2 Frantzi & Sygrou 55. House band with guest stars every Sat.
STAVROS TOU NOTO Frantzy & Tharipou 37, Neo Kosmos. Greek & American rock, changes of bands every day. Mon. through Fri. Panos Katsimichas from the famous Katsimichas brothers sings his top 10 Greek folk rock songs. Panos and I (Dorian) started the band "Agapanthos" which brought us notoriety. Needless to say I highly recommend this club. Tel. 210 9226975, 210 9239031.
House of Art 4 Saktouri in Psiri, Live rock acts like Papaconstantinou and occasionally surprise international singers like Donovan for instance. Matt likes this place. Tel 210 321 7678
Keramikos 59 Kerameikou and Marathonas. Live Greek stars. Big ones like Haris Alexiou. Tel. 210 522 2222
RODON: 24 Marni near Platia Vathi. This club is in a class of its own with major artists appearing here like Robert Plant, Peter Green, Yngwie Malmsteen, Uriah Heep, and not to mention almost every touring punk, hardcore and heavy metal band that makes it to Greece. Tel. 210 5247427.
Gagarin Live Music Space: Liosion 205 near the Attikis Metro station. This club is a little out of the way but may be one of the best places in the world to see your favorite bands. Besides the usual touring young acts, last summer brought Vanilla Fudge and Mark Lindsay of Paul Revere and the Raiders to Gagarin. They usually advertise their bands with well designed and beautiful posters that you will see around town and in the record shops and cafes. Tel. 210 8547600.
Also keep your eyes and ears open for concerts by well-known artists in the theater on Mount Lycavettos. Fantastic setting for a show. I have seen James Brown, Roy Harper, the Byrds, Nikos Papazoglou and a few others there. Other acts who have played Lycavettos are Leonard Cohen, Ray Davies, Deep Purple, Motorhead and others. Look for posters around Athens or check the Athens News.
ROCK JAZZ HIP HOP
Matt and Dorian's Pick: PARAFONO is a live-music club dedicated to jazz and blues - located near the center of Athens. For almost 25 years it has attracted a devoted following of music lovers that come to hear the most respected names in jazz and blues. Its cabaret setting, superb sound system and lively audience are what make Parafono the ideal venue in which to experience some of the very best JAZZ and BLUES entertainment offered in Greece. Sunday night is Dan & Katey's HOOTENANNY Country, Rock, Acoustic Jam so if you are a musician bring the tools of your trade. Parafono is on 1 S. Kirinis str & 130a Asklipiou str which is on the back side of Lykavettos. You can phone 210 644-6512 for directions or e-mail them at
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BOSSA NOSTRA 22 Aristophanous, Psyrri. Red decor. Some Latin. Tel. 210 3244891
ALSOS Pedio tou Areos (Green Park) Greek laika and rock alternative. Tel.210 8212271.
GRAFFITI 192 Sygrou, Kallithea. Wed. classical rock; Thu. & Sat. trip hop, drums
and bass, Fri. reggae; Sun. live jazz. Tel. 210 9597995.
LOOP 3 Ag. Asomatou, Thisio. Alternate bands. Tel.210 3247666
60'S AND 70'S POP AND ROCK
Mikes Irish Bar: On Sinopis street in the Athens tower, this college style bar plays live music on most nights, serves great draft beer and has an atmosphere that will make you think you are in Dublin Ireland, Austin Texas, Boston, Mass or Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Go on a night when Johnny Vavoura and his band (photo) are playing and treat yourself to a night of traditional rock and roll. Call 210 7776797. Recommended by Matt Barrett because he happened to go on a night when Vavoura was playing. But keep in mind that if you are over 21 and not into heavy metal and really don't like trying to order a beer while standing 6 people deep at the bar you might want to avoid Saturday nights and probably Friday nights too. Especially if you don't smoke. Don't expect a typical Irish Pub full of interesting working-class Irishmen in animated conversation either. The name is pretty deceptive because generally it can be so loud that you can't hear anybody and know if they are Irish, Greek or from Katmandu.
SIXTIES Posiedonos Ave. 62,P Faliro.(by the sea).Live sixties band, many alternating guest stars. Perhaps the best sixties music in Greece.(highly recommended by Dorian and Michaelis ) Closed Sunday and Monday Tel. 9819355, 9812741.
TOP STADIUM Hotel Stadio, Bas. Kostantinou 38. Alternative singers, Closed Sun. and Mon. Tel. 210 7226054.
MEMORIES M. Mousourou 1, Mets. 4 singers alternate; warm, cozy, full menu. Open Wed., Fri., Sat. Tel. 210 9225712, 210 9226672. (recommended)
WILD ROSE 10 Panepistimiou, Center of Athens. Pop, sixties, rock party on tuesdays, blue gray decor. Open every day. Tel. 210 3642160.
FOLIE FOLIE 2 Elsin, Ambelokipi. Mon. reggae, Tue.Latin, Wed.Samba, Thu.hip hop, Fri.funk, Sat.mix, Sun. sixties. Open 'till late. (recommended) Tel. 210 6469852.
House of Art 4 Saktouri in Psiri, Live rock acts like Papaconstantinou and occasionally surprise international singers like Donovan for instance. Matt likes this place which is also mentioned above under Greek Rock. They have a Beatles Tribute night on Mondays. Tel 210 321 7678
JAZZ BLUES FUNK
BE BOP Orminou 4, Hilton Hotel. Live Greek rock, plus jazz, funk, soul. Open all evenings. (recommended by Michaeli) Tel. 210 7221708.
BLUES 20 Panormou, Ambelokipi. Only blues in old neo-classical house. Open all evenings. Not live. Tel. 210 6433372.
EMPLEON 20 Laskaratou, Ano Patissia. Funk, soul, rock. Every Thu. Latin and Caribian fiesta
HALF NOTE 17 Tribonianou, Mets. Opens at 11 pm. Live jazz, blues, R&B, American and International name acts. (recommended by Michaeli)
KIBUBU 9 Galatsiou, Patissia. The owner is a very good friend of ours. Mexican, Latin decor. Caters to all age groups. Indoors and out. (recommended by Dorian and Michaeli) .
Action Folie: Akti Dilaveri 9-11. Mikrolimano. Tel. 210 417-4325
Astrolavos : M. Antipa 62-66. N Iraklia. Tel. 210 271-8205
Blues People: Kelsou 5-7 and Bouliagmenis 63. Tel.210 924-6978
Alternative
Bar Code: 34 Syntagmatos Pezikou 6. Tel. 210 422-2829
Berlin : Herakleidon 8: Tel. 341-0239
Decadence : Boularotounou 69. Lofos Strefi. Tel.210 882-3544
MAD : 14 Syngrou. Makriyanni. Tel. 210 922-6694
Mo Better: Themotokleos and Koletti. Tel. 210 381-2981
Plan B: Lempesi 19. Arches Syngrou. Tel. 210 942-2737
Xorostasio : Skouleniou 2. Klathmonos Square. Tel. 210 331-4330 Free-Style
Light Love Life: Boutsadon 50. Gazi. Tel.210 342-4779
Loop : Ag Asomaton Square. Thission. Tel. 210 324-6446
Muller : Benaki 62. Exarchia. Tel. 210 383-0550
Nipiagogio : Elasidon and Kleanthos 8. Gazi. Tel. 210 345-8534
Whisper : Sina 19 and Skoufa. Tel. 210 364-1130
Zoo : Michalokopoulou and Sebastias. Illissia. Tel. 210 778-6672
House Techno
Block : Pigis 3 and Akadamias. Tel. 210 384-0205
Bossa Nostra: Aristophanous 22, Platia Iroon. Psiri. Tel. 0977 126417
City Grove: Bourbaki and Korizi 4. Makrianni. Tel. 210 924-0740
Garage : Sygrou 115a. Fix. Tel. 210 924-8211
Macamba : 22 Vouliagmenis. Tel. 210 924-9430
+Soda : 161 Ermou. Thission. Tel. 210 345-6187
Playroom : Akadamias 43. Tel. 210 364-5027
Venue( The Uptown): Kiffisias and Sina 7. Marousi. Tel. 210 610-6869
U-Matic (Future Club): Vouliagmenis 268. Tel. 210 971-6145 Mainstream Clubs
Bareladiko Next Generation : Tefthidos 7. Peristeri. Tel. 210 578-2222
Camel Club: Iraklidon 74 and Peraios. Thissio. Tel. 210 347-6847
EXO : Marko Mousouri 1. Mets. Tel. 210 923-5818
Hook Planet: Akti kondili 40. Ag Dinoysious. Pireaus. Tel. 210 461-9924
Kalua : Amerikis 6. Syntagma. Tel. 210 360-8304
Loft Loft (Tonight) : 215 Kiffisias. Marousi. Tel. 806-6802
Prime Vision: 22 Vouliagmenis. N. Kosmos. Tel. 210 924-6688
Privilege : Peraios 130 and Alkesonios. Gazi. Tel. 210 347-7311
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