Xi'an's nightlife is compact and mostly inside the Ming city wall. Defu Lane, a short street running north from near the South Gate, has been the city's bar strip since the 1990s, and the lanes that hug the inside of the wall - collectively called Shuncheng Lane - have become the place where local residents actually spend an evening.
Defu Lane
Defu Lane is one long run of small bars, most of them with a handful of tables inside and a few more spilling onto the pavement. The mix is wide: live acoustic sets, sports screens, cocktail bars with serious menus, and places that mostly sell beer and fruit plates. It is a young crowd, it gets loud after about ten, and there is usually someone standing outside each door trying to bring you in. Prices for imported spirits are high by Chinese standards, but beer and local liquor are reasonable.
Shuncheng Lane
The lanes that run along the inner face of the city wall are the more interesting option. Old courtyard houses have been converted into restaurants, tea rooms, small bars and guesthouses, and the strip below the South Gate is the liveliest. This is where Xi'an residents come for a late dinner of noodles or barbecue followed by drinks, and it has a less transactional feel than Defu Lane. Walking the wall-top path after dark is a good way to see the whole circuit lit up before you drop down into the lanes.
What to drink and eat
Alongside the bars you will find Shaanxi bar snacks: cold noodles, grilled lamb skewers with cumin and chilli, spiced peanuts, and bowls of sour soup dumplings. Local beer is inexpensive and comes in small bottles, which keeps it cold. If you want something stronger, Shaanxi has its own baijiu, though it is an acquired taste. Some bars serve food until midnight, and a few small kitchens behind Shuncheng Lane stay open later.
Getting there
Defu Lane is a five to ten minute walk from Yongningmen station on Line 2, and the same from the South Gate. The area is safe and busy late into the night, with taxis and ride-hailing easy to find at the wall. Note that some smaller bars allow indoor smoking, so choose a courtyard venue if that bothers you.
