Daily 2pm-2am
Weigongcun Lu, Haidian
6845 8277

Formerly a jumble of Xinjiang restaurants and stalls pushing lamb kebabs, Weigongcun is again paying tribute to the western province, but this time in true Beijing barfly style. The Hail Bar, a single cosy room with stucco exterior and rustic wooden tables and doors is vaguely reminiscent of the Guge Tibetan Bar. Check out the Xinjiang artifacts, photographs and script on the wall.

Daily 4.30pm-2a
254 Chengfu Lu, Haidian
6265 3675

Located in a strip-mall-like set-up of lookalike bars and coffee houses on Chengfu Lu, this student hangout features a brightly-painted interior with airy booths, well-mixed drinks and friendly waitstaff.

Daily 6pm-2am
54 Baiyi Lu, South St. Zhongguancun, Haidian
6217 2488

Another local sports arena gets a club, this time it’s the Capital Gymnasium (Shouti). Like its Workers’ Stadium counterparts, Level employs a crew of DJs for weekend parties geared toward students. Mind the tree while you’re dancing, though: it juts out of the dance floor. Cover generally runs RMB 20 and drink prices are student-friendly.

6pm-3am
240 Chengfu Lu, Haidian
6265 3177

Ultra-modern but nonetheless intimate with black and purple light and a long bar, the Bacchus Club caters to students from the nearby Foreign Language Institute. Its large liquor selection includes a number of wines and liqueurs from Japan and Korea (the owners spent several years studying in Japan). Piped-in jazz and a live vocalist fill the silence while a sofa-laden loft can be rented for private parties

11am-1am
Weigongcun Lu, Haidian
6845 1147

Small and in tune with other arty and minimalist bars around town; white walls, wooden tables and chairs and a roof with beams. Art-house films are shown every Tuesday, local scholars also give occasional talks. Check out their coffee liqueurs or try some Guinness Stout.

10pm-late
161 Lan Qi Ying, Chengfu Lu, Haidian
6252 1374

6pm-2am

Opposite West gate of Beijing University

6264-0702

Western food, snacks and dance in a low lit, stylishly glowing yellow decor.

6pm-late evening

West Gate of Beijing University

6255-8877

If Haidian can be said to have a premier dance bar, this is it.

2 Xitucheng Road, North side of Jimenqiao, (North side of Beijing Film Academy)
6203-2906

Rock club or disco? You make the call. NASA was highly popular back in its heyday, and still does decent business attracting students, both local and foreign, thanks to its location near the Beijing Film Academy. Look for its huge, rusty iron sign.

Open 11am-9:30pm

200 meters east of the south gate of the Agriculture University
清华东路农业大学南门往东200米路北

8237-2090