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Bars and Nightclubs Osaka, Japan

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Like Tokyo, nightlife in Osaka is very popular. The Kita (North) area that surrounds JR Umeda Station is a nice hang out during the night time. Kita draws a slightly more adult crowd, including lots of businesspeople. The Minami (South) area, located between the Shin-Sai-bashi and Namba districts which include part of Chuo-ku (Central Ward) is mainly famous among kids.

There are plenty of good restaurants and drinking spots for more seasoned bon viands. However, nightlife in Osaka is incomplete without the mention of Osaka's main hang out place, Amerika Mura, in the southern part of Chuo-ku. The place is replete with innumerable bars and clubs. The south area of Osaka that comprises of the famous Nanba and America Miura is the real center of the nightlife in Osaka.


	Blue Note Osaka Best jazz in town 2-3-21 Sonezaki-shinchi Kita-ku Osaka, 530-0002 Phone: +81 ( 0 )6 6342 7722
Although the accent is heavily on jazz, the Blue Note does present a wide range of acts from many other genres of modern music, including Latin and contemporary folk. Most of the top-class jazz artists who come to Osaka play here, so the club is a very popular venue and reservations are almost always necessary. Besides excellent music, the Blue Note also serves up some good food, with prices starting at JPY950 for a simple sandwich to JPY3,500 for a steak. There is a full drinks menu that covers wine and cocktails as well as local and imported beers.
	Bo-Chira Bar Zumi Not just sushi 10th Floor, Flowers Building Dotonbori Osaka, OSAKA PREFECTURE 542-0077 Phone: +81 ( 0 )6 6211 1216
Come to this bar and restaurant for traditional Japanese fare and some bubbly to go with it. Delicious preparations and a romantic ambiance are the biggest draws of this eatery in the Chuo-ku area. The prices are a tad high, but all good things come with a price tag, don't they?
	Cinquecento Martini bar Matsumiya Building, 1F 10-1-2 Higashi-Shinsaibashi, Chuo-ku, Hachiman-suji Osaka, OSAKA PREFECTURE 541-0053 Phone: +81 6 6213 6788
The biggest selection of martinis and tasty food is what Cinquecento offers. Moreover the food is value for money so you can have your fill and be happy. This is an ideal stopover for those who want to down a few drinks before moving into nightclubs. The decor is rustic with dimmed lights and the bar counter takes precedence over the booths and seats. Draft beer is also available. Martinis to try: Chocolate Martini, Apple Martini and Zoolander.
	Club Joule In the heart of the youth scene Brutas Building 2F-3F 2-11-30 Shinsaibashi, Chuo-ku Osaka, OSAKA PREFECTURE Phone: +81 ( 0 )6 6214 1223
Located right next to Triangle Park ( Sankaku Koen ), the major landmark of Osaka's main youth hangout 'America Mura' ( mura means village ), Club Joule is a smart, modern club where you can hear hip hop, jazz, soul, and rhythm and blues, depending on the night. There is a menu for small snacks such as tuna and tomato pizza that go for JPY700 and there is also a dessert menu that changes daily. The first two drinks are included in the JPY2,000 entry charge with further drinks starting at JPY700. And, as a special bonus for the ladies, there is a nail and make-up service.
	Club Quattro, Shinsaibashi High-energy live house Shinsaibashi Parco Building 8F 1-9-1 Shinsaibashi-suji, Chuo-ku Osaka, OSAKA PREFECTURE 542-0085 Phone: +81 6 6281 8181
This famous live-house with branches in other major cities of Japan ranks up there with Blue Note as far as the fame of the artists who headline the regular gigs. The major difference is that Club Quattro tends to be far more casual, certainly cheaper in terms of ticket prices and drinks, and easily more energetic - the customers here let it all hang out, though that is perhaps an effect of the type of bands that tend to play here. For a schedule of upcoming acts, you can check out "Flyer," the free information publication of the club.
	Club Rockets Famous Namba live house Namba Pier 6025 2-8-31 Namba-naka, Naniwa-ku Osaka, OSAKA PREFECTURE 556-0011 Phone: +81 6 6649 3919
Namba is the center of youth culture in Osaka, and the "live house" Rockets is equally so the center of musical energy in the district. Rockets attracts bands from all over the country, though most are rock acts from Osaka. With tables spreading out from the stage, the place is somewhat sophisticated and attracts some older guests who might not be fans of all-standing places, but the clientele is typically in their 20s.
	Coelacanth From dusk until dawn 2-9-18 Minamihorie-cho Nishi-ku Osaka, OSAKA PREFECTURE 550-0015 Phone: +81 6 6534 1965
Coelacanth is a stylish two-story bar/restaurant serving Asian food with a distinctly Thai emphasis. The extensive menu includes imaginative salads, curries and spring rolls and an impressive array of wines, beers and cocktails. Downstairs is more spacious than upstairs and makes a better venue for a group of friends dining together. Since it is open until dawn, Coelacanth is frequented by those who have been out late partying as well as those who would like just 'one' final drink after the regular places close.
	Fandango Probably Osaka's best live house 1-17-27 Juso-honmachi Yodogawa-ku Osaka, OSAKA PREFECTURE 532-0024 Phone: +81 6 6308 1621
If live rock music turns you on, then head for Fandango. This live house is one of the best venues in Osaka to see punk, heavy metal, indie and alternative acts, both local and international. The atmosphere is fearsome--the audience rocks and sways with the music in a kind of frenetic new dance form, so why not join in. There is a fully stocked bar that offers local and imported beers starting at JPY500, a fine selection of whiskeys and just about any cocktail you can think of, most costing JPY700. Snacks are also available.
	Freeza A Cosmopolitan Nightspot Ameson Square Bldg. 2F Nishi-Shinsaibashi 2-8-33 Nishi-Shinsaibashi, CHUO-KU Phone: +81 6 6213 1090
This cosmopolitan nightspot features house music on Friday and Saturday nights put on by some of the best local DJs. Among patrons it is known for its cozy atmosphere and diverse crowd.
	Gross Trendy club with trendy drinks 2-9-36 Nishi-shinsaibashi Chuo-ku Osaka, OSAKA PREFECTURE 542-0086 Phone: +81 ( 0 )6 6213 2994
Gross is an unusual choice for a name given that the bar is rather trendy and clean, and that the customers, mostly in their 20s or early 30s, tend to dress up well at times. This bar became a popular site for so-called "para-para" dancing and for grooving to Euro-beat sounds. The dance floor resembles something from the 1970s, and some of the clothes that people wear go well with it. The bartenders do a fairly good job mixing drinks, especially some of the more unusual cocktails, with prices ranging closer to JPY1,000 than JPY500.
	Hard Rock Cafe Osaka Rock & roll cafe of the world 6-2-61 Shimaya Konohata-ku Osaka, 554-0024 Phone: +81 ( 0 )6 4804 3870
The Hard Rock Cafe Osaka is no different from any of the dozens of others all over the world. The gaudy, lavish decorations are comprised of music memorabilia, rock & roll music plays loud, and the menu features some hearty meals. This is perhaps the best place you can go in Japan for hamburgers and other meat dishes, though the other entrees are equally as good. Prices are typically between JPY1,000 and JPY2,000. Drinks--beer and cocktails--start around JPY500. Note, too, that the HRC tends to be a favorite stopping off place for local celebrities.
	Nest Saloon Live blues bar Takatani Building BF1 2-11-5 Nishi-shinsaibashi Osaka, OSAKA PREFECTURE 542-0086 Phone: +81 ( 0 )6 6211 8675
Blues has long had a relatively large following in Osaka and some of the better acts that pass through the city frequently stop by this lively bar. Even without these, there are regular artists and groups as well as amateur nights where you can catch some surprisingly good talent. The sound equipment and stage facilities are quite good for a bar of its size. And even when there are no live acts, it is still a good place to visit. The drinks - standard as well as some originals - are mixed well and can be as much as JPY1,000.
	Ozone Urban DJ bar 2-9-36 Nishi-shinsaibashi Chuo-ku Osaka, OSAKA PREFECTURE 542-0086 Phone: +81 ( 0 )6 6213 2994
This grungy, urban club with steel and concrete decor actually rents itself out to various groups, meaning you can never be quite sure what kind of music you will get. DJs spinning hip-hop and other sounds you can groove to is the norm here, though punk music, hard-core and more popular sounds do have nights of their own on occasion. Be on the lookout for live acts as well, especially the underground rock groups. Whatever the music, the crowd tends to be young - in their early 20s - and stylish.
	Underlounge Chic, spacious, affordable clubbing 634 Building B1 2-7-11 Nishi-Shinsaibashi, Chuo-ku Osaka, OSAKA PREFECTURE 542-0086 Phone: +81 ( 0 )6 6214 3322
Underlounge is Osaka's hottest new club: an expansive sophisticated space with a main dance floor and a chill-out lounge. It serves food as well as drink at reasonable prices. Lockers are available. Monday is private rental night. Tuesday and Thursday feature any of a number of styles from hip hop to rock to house to Goa to Latin, while Friday and Saturday usually feature house, techno or drum & bass. Wednesday is disco night. The street entrance is a distinctive bright orange tunnel easily mistaken for a cargo container.