Chongqing's nightlife is concentrated north of the rivers in Jiangbei district, where the commercial centre of the modern city has grown up. The anchor is Guanyinqiao, one of the largest shopping districts in western China, a grid of pedestrian streets and malls that is busy until late and dense with restaurants, cinemas, tea shops and dessert counters. A short way from it, the strip known locally as the Ninth Street is the entertainment quarter proper: bars, live-music rooms, cocktail places and clubs packed side by side, along with the barbecue and noodle stalls that feed people on their way home.
How an evening runs
Dinner comes first, often at nine or later because Chongqing eats late. Then the bars, which here means a mix of loud rooms with a resident singer and small places with eight stools and a serious whisky list. Live music is a real part of it: the city has a rock and folk scene, and the smaller venues put on bands several nights a week. The big clubs run until dawn, and at two or three in the morning the streets outside are still full and the grills are still going. Fashions are informal and the crowd is young and mixed.
The brewing side
Chongqing has a long brewing history: the city's major brewery is one of the oldest and largest in China, and its local lager has been the standard drink at every hotpot table for decades. On top of that, the last decade has brought a wave of small breweries and taprooms, mostly in Jiangbei and Yuzhong, brewing pale ales, wheat beers, porters and fruit sours, often with local ingredients such as Sichuan pepper or osmanthus. They are small, they change their taps weekly, and they are where you will find people who want to talk about beer rather than shout over a band.
Practical notes
Guanyinqiao has its own metro interchange and is the easiest starting point; the Ninth Street area is a short taxi ride away. Fridays and Saturdays are extremely busy and tables in the live-music rooms need booking; Sunday to Thursday the same places are relaxed and easy. Taxis after two in the morning are scarce, so arrange a ride or stay within walking distance. The district is heavily policed and feels safe, but keep normal city sense about your belongings in the crowded parts.
