Fun Australian bar and other Vienna, Austria Nightlife Tips

Nightlife Spot: Roo Bar

The Roo Bar has been open nearly a year and is located just behind two of the big five star hotels. Despite being in the 1st district, by dint of being slightly tucked away it is not as swamped as other pubs. The atmosphere is pleasant - the crowd are the young and youngish (20s and early 30s) and they show a lot of live sport (Champions League, Rugby, Cricket, Golf). Downstairs there is a no smoking cellar with a separate bar - and they often have live music down there, a pub quiz and also private events. It holds about 50-60 and there is also a beamer and screen on the wall there.

They have Stiegl on tap and also have a good selection of premium bottled Australian beers. Food at the moment is relatively limited, although will doubtless increase in range before too long. There are often parties and informal get togethers and it is a pleasant place to go out - although girls might find a queue for the lady's restroom.

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Theme: Other
Dress Code: Come as you are!
Address: Hegelgasse 8, A-1010 Wien
Directions: Just behind the SAS Radisson and Mariott hotels on the Parkring and also not far from Schwarzenbergplatz.
Website: www.roobar.at

Nightlife Spot: Film Casino

The Filmcasino is renowned for its alternative programme - ranging from European to Asian cinema and often thematic series of films. The cinema is decidedly retro - 1950s and 1960s - and the cinema, whilst lacking cutting edge sound of modern multiplexes is a breath of fresh air. They sometimes have theme nights and parties in the foyer - where there is a small bar, for example in honour of Elvis' birthday (I went once and watched Viva Las Vegas). There are also showings of live music videos - the screen sessions at periodic intervals.

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Theme: Other
Dress Code: none - come as you are!
Phone: 587 9062
Address: Margarethenstrasse 78, 1050
Directions: Take the U4 to Pilgramgasse and it is just around the corner. Otherwise on the 13A bus route
Website: www.filmcasino.at
Other Contact: Phone 581 3900-10 for ticket res

Nightlife Spot: Barflys

Barfly's in the Hotel Fürst Metternich is a well kept secret that has been around for 12 years now. Service is good, the cocktail card one of the largest you'll ever come across and the music not overly intrusive. Some might find it too smoky - the ventilation is not great, but the cocktails are more reasonably priced than in Sky Bar and the waiters more attentive. Frank Sinatra and other artistes of that ilk are played in the background. There is a well-stocked humidor and the atmosphere is refined and very pleasant.

It is open from 6pm daily - reservations are recommended but not always essential. There is a cloakroom service which is compulsory - but reasonably priced. There are often special events.

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Theme: Eating and Drinking
Dress Code: Smart casual - refreshingly unstuffy.
Address: Esterhazygasse 33, A-1060 Wien
Directions: Just off Mariahilferstrasse - U3 Neubaugasse
Website: www.castillo.at/barflys.htm

Nightlife Spot: Billabong

I popped in here on my way home after a few drinks, and with a spot of the munchies. Wednesdays are burger days when their burgers and fries are reduced - beef, chicken and turkey burgers are all EUR 5 with gorgeous fries and the kangaroo and ostrich burgers are EUR 6 - a healthy saving over the normal prices. The interior is stylishly set out - with a number of small tables, and there is also a terrace outside for the hotter days. There is a big screen, which shows sports - including cricket - and the place is quite stylish - having only been open for a year. There are a large number of wines, both by the glass and by the bottle - although the prices per glass on a lot of the Australian red wines is a bit on the high side. The ambience is pleasant the crowd mainly a 20 something crowd and the waiting staff are attentive - and even apologetic when your plates are left on your table for too long. All in all a good bet for a night out!

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Theme: Eating and Drinking
Dress Code: The place is informal although most people tend to be smartishly dressed, even if there is no formal dress code.
Address: Parkring 4, 1010 Wien
Directions: Next to Stubentor Underground station (U3)
Website: www.billabong.at

Nightlife Spot: American Bar

The American Bar is a tiny bar - it is the mirrors with their trompe l'oeil effect that actually make the place seem big - and often too full to contemplate going to. They have an active policy against tourists popping in to photograph - the privilege is reserved for patrons of the bar only. The décor inside is constructed out off darkwood and marble - with its stained-glass facade being perhaps more photogenic - the darkness inside will prevent covert non-flash photography shots from coming out particularly well. The drinks are at the pricier end of things - you are paying for the architecture and the building's proximity to the Stephansdom, and it is possibly a place to meet, but not to stay the whole evening. It having been designed by Adolf Loos in 1908 seems to have helped perpetuate its fame.

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Theme: Eating and Drinking
Dress Code: Smartish - although the only real dress code is that you shouldn't look like a tourist after a photo.
Phone: 512 3283
Address: Kärntnerdurchgang, 1010 Wien
Directions: About 100m from the Stephansdom
Other Contact: open 12:00-04:00 daily

Nightlife Spot: Santo Spirito

Santo Spirito is tucked away on Kumpfgasse and offers food and drink. The food is mainly Italian and Mediterranean - with mainly smaller dishes and antipasti, although main courses are also available - salads and pastas being particularly predominant on the menu. There is a screen and projector which shows opera and classical music concerts - they often show the Last Night of the Proms. Santo Spirito has a predominantly gay crowd, and is a well-established haunt of the Viennese gay community, although there is no strictly gay admission policy, with cabaret divas often popping in after their shows. The atmosphere is pleasant and relaxed, the noise level not too high and you can sit down and have pleasant conversation with friends. The music is not intrusive, but merely adds to the ambience. The staff are generally pleasant with service being generally good.

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Theme: Eating and Drinking
Dress Code: Smartish although there is no real dress-code as such.
Phone: 512 9998
Address: Kumpfgasse 7, 1010 Wien
Directions: Just behind the Stephansdom

Nightlife Spot: Music & Theatre

Jeunesse.at is responsible for promoting live events - in particular classical music in an affordable way to the young - if you are under 26, then you pay half price on tickets. Booking is online, via their website, otherwise there is a ticket office at the Musikverein. It is possible to book online and to then pick up your tickets before the concert - this only applies for concerts in Vienna though. Online booking requires a credit card, but the process is simple and the forms are available in English or German.

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Theme: Concert
Dress Code: Informal but smartish.
Address: Musikverein, Bösendorferstr., 1010 Wien
Directions: Note: Concerts are not just in Vienna, there are events all over Austria.
Website: www.jeunesse.at

Nightlife Spot: Pointers

No more than spitting distance from the technical university and the Karlsplatz, Pointers is a new bar, having previously been FlikFlak. It opens at 8am, and is a coffee shop come café during the daytime with good food - proper brainfood like fish and chips - although there are also salads.

Televisions show live sport - including Test Match Cricket - and it is a lot less crowded than Flanagan's and the like which get over full for Champions League games. In the evening the place is a pub, with a good pint of Guinness on tap, and cocktails and shots - including the lethal "Flatliner". The bar staff are welcoming, the pub comfortable and not overly crowded, and food and drink go down easily.

There is also a "Drink around the World" promotion - involving drinking 15 bottled beers from 15 countries around the world to win a T Shirt and your name on a plaque - do it in 1 night, you get gold, 2 nights silver and 3 nights bronze! Easier said than done!

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Theme: Eating and Drinking
Dress Code: No dress code
Address: Resselgasse 4
Directions: Opposite the TU Wien and close to Karlsplatz
Website: www.pointers.at

Nightlife Spot: Casino, Wien

If you enjoy people watching a trip to the casino is quite an interesting night out - I love watching the little old ladies paying roulette.

There are a wide range of games on offer, as well as "Jackpot Corner" full of fruit machines - which is open from the early afternoon. The dress code is tightly enforced - but at least that way there is generally little problem of people coming off the street. If you are a foreigner, then you'll have to take your passport, otherwise they'll not let you in.

The building is pleasant although the casino in nearby Baden is more of a showpiece. I did have one instance of someone trying to claim my win at one of the roulette tables - they were quickly ejected - unfortunately there seem to be increasing problems of this nature at the casino in Vienna - really watch your chips carefully.

There are often special promotional offers - e.g. cheap "introduction" chips etc. Just a word of warning - don't play with what you can't afford to lose!

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Theme: Casino
Dress Code: A jacket, collar and tie are required - I wore an Yves St Laurent rollneck and got turned away once. If you do not have a jacket, then you can hire one - the deposit is €40.
Address: Kärntnerstrasse 31, A-1010
Directions: About 100m from the Opera (U1, U2 and U4)
Website: wien.casinos.at

Nightlife Spot: Unger and Klein

I had been wanting to visit Unger und Klein for a while to sample something from their range of 1200 wines, and when I finally made it there, I was not disappointed. The atmosphere was good and not so pretentious as can be the case in some of the other 1st district wine bars. It's small, and quickly got quite busy and the small table we got reminded me of the tables I used to sit at at school when I was a mini-Morgenhund aged 5-6. Most importantly the wine was good, the staff competent and the wines we had were good and affordable - most start from about EUR 13. Thumbs up from me! Reservations are probably necessary after 20:00 as it gets pretty full during the week.

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Theme: Eating and Drinking
Dress Code: casual
Phone: +43 1 532 1323
Address: Gölsdorfstrasse 2, 1010 Wien
Directions: U-bahn to Schwedenplatz - then 5-10 minute walk to the Salzgries
Website: www.ungerundklein.at