For decades, London and Berlin fought for recognition as Europe’s coolest capital. But now those in the know head east to Tbilisi for a cosmopolitan nightlife which is as diverse as it is affordable. Georgia’s quirkiest, most photogenic city has a youthful energy all of its own, and with good international flight connections and world-class hotels, it’s fast becoming a must-visit destination for those who like to party. Swanky Retreats went out and about to find Tbilisi’s very best bars and clubs.
The world’s first Rolling Stone Rooftop Bar opened in Tbilisi in fall 2025, bringing the iconic rock brand to Tbilisi’s landmark Telegraph Hotel. Funk-rock bassist and singer-songwriter Nik West took to the stage on the opening night, and the line-up of musicians who have followed her is no less impressive, delivering soundtracks ranging from soul to electronica which bring everyone onto the dancefloor.
Bassiani is the largest techno club in Tbilisi, packed with up to 1,200 ravers on a big weekend. The music hits hard and so does the venue: it’s a moody, industrial-looking space originally built as the swimming pool beneath the Dinamo Arena. The club attracts big-name international artists – Americans Zak Khutoretsky (DVS1) and David Charles Sumner (Function) have both been resident DJs – and also promotes homegrown Georgian talent like Gigi Jikia (HVL) and Tornike Kvanchiani (Kvanchi).
Chic café by day, stylish bar by night, Bell & Gray is a visual masterpiece created by the Shanghai-based architecture and design firm Neri&Hu around the skeleton of Tbilisi’s Brutalist telegraph building. Dress to the nines and choose a drink from the very extensive spirits list, or take a chance and ask the bartender to surprise you.
Fabrika is an uber-cool hostel and multi-function cultural center with bars and restaurants, a record store, print shop, film lab, and artists’ studios. When the heat of a summer’s day fades, life at Fabrika shifts to the huge open courtyard and the party starts. Buy your cocktails from GUM, natural wines from Saamuri, or a beer from Moulin Electrique, sit outside, and soak up the vibes. Often there’s live music or a DJ.
On the 18th floor of the Radisson Blu Iveria you will find the Oxygen Bar, and with it, a view of Tbilisi’s skyline to take your breath away. Book a table just before sunset and watch the sun go down whilst sipping on sophisticated cocktails: this is the city’s most romantic location for a date!
As we made our way east from the airport, the paved motorway soon turned into a wide dirt road. Shortly after, we entered the Thornybush Nature Reserve, and any semblance of a road quickly disappeared into tire-track trails, winding this way and that, through the low-lying vegetation peppered with baobab and marula trees. I had (incorrectly) assumed that once we reached the lodge we would be taken to some ‘other location’ to try and spot the wildlife that we had travelled so far to witness, but I quickly realized that we were already immersed in the bush. It wasn’t long before we came upon a herd of buffalo resting in a field accompanied by a few zebras and a sounder of warthogs with their newborn piglets. We hadn’t even completed the transfer from the airport, and we had encountered one of the ‘Big Five’ species. I was elated and trying to get as many pictures as I could when Nik assured me that we would see plenty more that afternoon on our first game drive. Nevertheless, my eyes remained peeled and my camera at the ready for the rest of the journey to the lodge.
If Barbie and Wes Anderson joined forces to open a cocktail bar, it would probably look like the Pink Bar at Stamba. Order the signature Stamba Mule (vodka, lavender, mixed berries, ginger, and lime), preferably accompanied by one of the bar’s mouthwatering desserts, for the most convivial evening.
Tatuza Jazz Club has been open for less than a year but has quickly become the crown jewel of Tbilisi’s live music scene. Named in honor of the legendary Georgian jazzman Tatuza Kurashvili, Tatuza hosts up to 30 live performances every month and has already seen the likes of Dennis Rollins, Vincen Garcia, Omar Kabir, and the Pere Navarro Trio take to the stage.
The Bar and Lounge sits on the ground floor of Rooms, a Soviet-era publishing house which has been converted into a Design Hotel. Master mixologists serve handcrafted cocktails and gourmet snacks until the early hours of the morning, making this an atmospheric spot for a nightcap.
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