Harbin Nightlife: Bars and Clubs in Harbin

Indiana Club (Pacer’s) Editor Pick!
Indiana Club (Pacers), Harbin Indiana Club is a truly great club and bar.
It features a massive dance floor (complete with large video screen), free pool table, friendly staff, and a great mix of people – its location right by the university brings in a lot of students. The nightly floor shows are a lot of fun, ranging from straight karaoke, to stripteases, to transvestite shows, to Russian folk dancing. Pacer’s is sort of split into two parts: you can either join the revelry in the club area, or chill out in the larger bar area. Beers start at ¥20 and cocktails cost ¥30 on average – the cuba libre is great. You can also get a small hookah for ¥100. Music is mostly mainstream R&B and dance numbers – inoffensive and fun.
Address: 102 Xi Dazhi Jie Ph. (0451) 8640 2111
Show the taxi driver: 请带我去步行者国际俱乐部，谢谢。地址：西大直街102号。
Blue’s Club
Blues Club, Harbin One of Harbin’s most popular drinking holes for foreign students and teachers, Blue’s is a fun place.
Or people watching. It’s best to visit on a Friday or Saturday night, but even on a quiet night there’s some form of entertainment; be it a staged show (Russian karaoke or a bizarre cross between Russian folk dancing and military marching) or just watching someone hopped up on drugs (or perhaps firewater) making a fool of themselves. Drinks are reasonably priced – beers start at ¥20 while cocktails average around ¥35 – and the staff are fairly attentive. If there’s a complaint, it’s that Blue’s is too small. The dance floor can’t hold too many people and there isn’t enough seating. But the interior is quite attractive.
Address: 100 Diduan Jie Ph. (0451) 8463 5517
Show the taxi driver: 请带我去布鲁斯国际俱乐部，谢谢。地址：地段街100号。
The Red Lion Pub
Red Lion Pub, Harbin It might be inside the Holiday Inn, but the Red Lion pub doesn’t feel at all like a hotel bar.
And it’s well worth mentioning as it’s the only British-style pub in the city. The Red Lion benefits from a tasteful and understated decor and a cozy atmosphere. While it never really gets rowdy, they do have a Filipino cover band five nights a week and a two-for-one happy hour special 5pm to 8pm. Otherwise, you’re looking at ¥30 for Carlsberg draught and minimum ¥35 for spirits and cocktails. The Red Lion also has a range of imported beers at about ¥50. The pub food is nothing special, but is adequate if you’re craving some western grub. Pizzas, pastas and burgers are available for ¥50-60 and there are also more fancy meals on offer for around ¥80.
Address: 90 Jingwei Jie Ph. (0451) 8422 6666
Show the taxi driver: 请带我去万达假日酒店，谢谢。地址：经纬街90号。
The Box
The Box, Harbin Irritating staff and overpriced drinks spoil The Box, which nevertheless remains popular with local expats.
The Box has the annoying policy of making you spend a certain amount to earn the privilege of sitting at a table. Weeknights are dead – if you go, definitely only do so on a weekend. Beers start at ¥25 for a small bottle while cocktails are from ¥40. There’s a small dance floor, uncomfortable seating (not enough), a couple of private rooms which are nicer, and a room with a pool table (which again you have to pay to use). Music is generally pop with smatterings of less mainstream R&B and techno.
Address: 82 Xi Dazhi Jie Ph. (0451) 8647 3860
Show the taxi driver: 请带我去西大直街82号，谢谢。
Ice Bar
Ice Bar, Harbin The Ice Bar pops up on Zhongyang Dajie for a short period (around the same time as the Ice Sculpture Festival) in winter.
It’s a fun experience, with the whole structure (except the floor) made of ice, including ice chairs, tables, ashtrays and glasses. Vodka shots are ¥30, while beer is exorbitantly priced at ¥30 for a tiny glass of supposedly German beer poured from a can. Worth stopping in for one or two drinks.
Address: Zhongyang Dajie