The hustle and bustle of people, music to dance to and memories to cherish for a lifetime - that's real nightlife. In Riga it is gorgeous and adapted to everyone: both those who want to enjoy a quiet evening with their closest friends and those who are tempted by larger events. In addition, every season has its own charm for nightlife in Riga.
In winter, various events are usually held in clubs and bars, starting with game nights and ending with concerts. At the same time, summers in Riga are unique in that you can enjoy the so-called “white nights” when the sun rises at four in the morning and only sets at around eleven at night. On these nights, there is no real, black darkness. Nightlife in Riga is naturally marked in certain districts of the city, so we have prepared a description to tell you more about each of the hotspots of nightlife.
Riga Old Town
Riga Old Town has long been the epicenter of nightlife in Riga. Most of the bars and clubs that can be visited today have been operating in Riga Old Town for at least a decade and have become icons of nightlife. Among them are bars such as Bbars, where you can taste cocktails with Riga Black Balsam typical of Latvia; Shot Cafe, where almost all possible shots are available on the drink menu, and Depo, which hosts alternative music concerts almost every weekend. If you want to enjoy live, ethnic music, traditional cuisine, and the oldest pub traditions, Folk Club Ala is the right place. In addition, the best of Irish pub traditions is available in the iconic Paddy Riga.
Photo: bbars.lv
Like any other old town, Riga Old Town is also constantly changing, so it is worth visiting more modern nightclubs as well. Every year at Christmas in the heart of Riga Old Town, The Christmas Bar, a seasonal-themed bar dedicated to Christmas, opens its doors on Škūnu Street. It is decorated in the best festive traditions and all the cocktails available on the drink menu have a Christmas twist. Another exciting themed bar in Riga Old Town is Clayton McNamara's Drinking Emporium: it is not just a bar, but almost an exhibition, where the walls are decorated with various collectibles from fantasy films, books and comics. In addition, several arcade games can be played in the bar. Beer lovers should visit Miezis & Kompānija, where a wide selection of local and foreign craft beer is offered in one place. Different types of beers, cocktails and diverse dishes can be enjoyed at Two More Beers. If you want a place where you can have a good time, it's worth visiting Pūce, Klubs Naktī, where there are several dance halls on two floors and parties until the morning.
This is only a small part of the entertainment options that Riga Old Town offers, so we recommend that you go on an expedition through Riga Old Town yourself, wander into narrow places, follow the music and discover the most suitable place for relaxation and entertainment.
City Centre
In the centre of Riga, you can visit really special bars and nightclubs! Skyline Bar is located on the 26th floor of the Radisson Blu Latvija Conference & SPA Hotel and offers a unique opportunity to enjoy drinks and food while watching the Riga skyline. It is one of the best places to watch the hustle and bustle of Riga in a pleasant atmosphere. If you want to watch the Riga skyline from an urban garden on the roof, Herbary will be the right place to go. The concept bar offers not only delicious cocktails but also fabulously beautiful sunsets. Gimlet Nordic Cocktail Bar offers a real taste pleasure and a journey through the flavours of Latvia, as all cocktails are prepared using ingredients available in the region. The bartenders of Gimlet Nordic Cocktail Bar claim: our lemon is quince. The drink menu offers ingredients such as nettles, honey, dill, blackberries, and other seasonal flavours. Fans of classic cocktails and charming parties should mark Bar XIII as a nightlife destination, where the pleasure is not only in the tastes and sounds but also in the delightful decorative style interior.
Quarters
In recent years, Riga has seen the growth of quarters in several places; areas united by nightlife and entertainment have been marked. In these quarters, it is possible to have a meal, enjoy drinks, music, and dance and often enjoy other cultural events as well, such as movie nights, theatre performances, humorous stand-up shows, silent disco or even small festivals.
Briana Street Quarter The oldest entertainment quarter in Riga and one of the hottest party spots in Riga on summer nights, as the large area allows a large number of people to gather. The most exciting thing about this block is the eclecticism, which unites different people in one place. The K.K. fon Stricka Villa is a summertime live music hub that brings culture lovers to its courtyard every week. Labietis, on the other hand, gathers real craft beer lovers. The hottest parties in Riga take place in the Bar Nemiers, where alternative music is usually playing, and bartenders spit fire and invite visitors to dance on the bar counter. Equally exciting parties are also held in the ONE ONE nightclub, which gathers electro-music lovers under its roof in an industrial building. And M/Darbnīca is almost home to various representatives of the culture sector. This bar was created to support diverse artists by offering them a platform to perform, gather like-minded people and be curious together.
Tallinas Street Quarter
Tallinas Street Quarter is a home for creative expressions or a place that brings together like-minded people who promote contemporary and street art. The quarter itself is worth a visit; it is decorated with murals created by various artists. It is also the epicentre of some of the loudest parties, as it also unites several bars and nightclubs in its premises. One of the biggest bars is Tallinas kvartāla Angārs, where you can enjoy street food, order drinks at the bar, enjoy concerts and even sing karaoke under one roof. Tu jau zini, kur is the cultural environment which embodies contemporary art performances, music and drinks. Bar Tallinas Pagalms was the first bar to open in the entire quarter, and it's also where you can enjoy food, drink, music and culture. Ezītis miglā is a great addition to the quarter, gathering guests on a spacious terrace. Zakuska invites fans of modern and dance music. In the quarter it is possible to visit each place separately or enjoy the common hustle and bustle of the quarter, being on one of the terraces in the middle of it.
Sporta 2 Quarter
In recent years residents of Riga have become very fond of Sporta 2 Quarter, which basically functions as a space for various creative workers: there is a film studio, a tattoo salon, fashion designer workshops and other spaces. Several entertainment places in the quarter gather visitors: every evening in the quarter you can see young people on bicycles, young families with children and more than one four-legged friend. Zefīrs is the epicentre of Sporta 2 Quarter, which offers its spacious terrace to this crowd. Craft beer, delicious cocktails and Neapolitan pizzas are served at Zefīrs. In addition, parties take place there, where music is played by the best Latvian DJs. You will find Paisums nearby. It will treat every gourmand with a selection of oysters and a suitable drink. However, lovers of alternative nightlife will definitely like Sporta Pagalms, which allows you to enjoy an evening with food, drinks, music and occasionally sports broadcasts in a relaxed atmosphere. Andrejosta
Summer in the centre of Riga by the water is the Andrejostas Quarter! Several bars and “street food” streets are combined in one area - Street Food Island. Various festivals are held there, and caterers tend to change, offering a wide selection of food. KOYA restaurant and bar are an exquisite place on the bank of the Daugava, a great place to enjoy food, cocktails or a glass of wine and dance to the music of DJs. It is worth checking the WONDERSALA event calendar: concerts of well-known musicians take place there in the summer.
Separate places in Riga away from the city centre
Riga is the capital of a relatively small European country, where everything can be reached in a short time. Therefore, visiting one of the nightlife entertainment and recreation places in more distant corners of Riga is worth visiting. Each place has its charm and magic, which is worth going a little further outside the centre.
One such place is Brūzis Manufaktūra, located in Jugla. Here craft beer is made, and it is also possible to buy beer from other producers, have a meal and enjoy cultural events. Besides, the building itself is worth a visit, as the interior design has won more than one design award. Nearby, there is a small, cosy place for beer lovers, TEIKA. But on the other bank of the Daugava, in Āgenskalns Market, there are two cocktail bars - Marmelāde and Vest.
