Cairo, a city brimming with history and culture, offers a diverse range of nightlife experiences. From hole-in-the-wall baladi bars to historic establishments and rooftop venues, Cairo's bar scene has something for everyone. Whether you're a local seeking a new hangout or a visitor wanting an authentic taste of Egyptian nightlife, this guide will lead you to the best bars in Cairo.
Baladi Bars: Experiencing Local Cairo
The neighborhood of Downtown Cairo is home to numerous baladi bars, historic bars and rooftop bars. But without further ado, let’s dive right into Downtown Cairo’s dive bars (bad pun unintended). But what exactly is a baladi bar? Good question.
A baladi bar is essentially an Egyptian version of a dive bar, popular with Egyptian locals (baladi translates to ‘my country’, but is also used to refer to something local or national - Egypt’s beloved local pita bread for example is called eish baladi or baladi bread). Baladi bars tend to be on the shabby side, and not a place you would necessarily want to eat. But the drinks are cheap and cold, and they’re a great place to feel like a real local.
Recommended Baladi Bars:
- Horreya: Founded in 1936, El Horreya is one of the most famous cafes and bars in Downtown Cairo. It has a distinct ‘cafeteria’-ish look, with bright lights, high ceilings and scattered tables. People go there for an affordable beer, to play chess or backgammon or just to chat.
- Carol: Carol started off as a French bistro in the 1960s, but over the years it deteriorated until it was a seedy baladi bar. A few years back though it was completely renovated, so while it’s still a baladi bar, it’s now what we’d consider a NICE baladi bar lol.
- Cap D’Or: Not to be confused with the famous Cap D’Or bar in Alexandria (also known as Sheikh Ali), this Downtown Cairo Cap D’or is another extremely old baladi bar - it opened over 100 years ago in 1908! It’s still frequented mainly by locals for the beers and free termis (lupin beans) and other random bar snacks.
Other (rather downtrodden) baladi bars of note: Stella Bar and Le Comte Bar.
Historic Bars: Stepping Back in Time
Downtown Cairo also is known for its historic bars, which are decades old and have seen a lion’s share of modern Cairo (and even national) history. (Psst, you can read more about Cairo's oldest restaurants and bars here).
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Must-Visit Historic Bars:
- Cafe Riche: Probably the most famous restaurant and bar in Downtown Cairo, Cafe Riche has quite a history. It was founded in 1908 and is known for being a beloved meeting place of historical revolutionaries, intellectuals and prominent figures in modern Egyptian history. Relics of these people and times in history still adorn Cafe Riche’s walls until now.
- Estoril: Built in 1959 by a Greek couple in a passageway between two buildings in Downtown, this restaurant and bar was named after the town of Estoril in Portugal, where the couple had their honeymoon. One wall is dedicated to local art while the other is full of memorabilia and clippings of articles and other old press about Estoril in its heyday.
- Le Grillon: Founded in 1941 and originally a restaurant and beer garden, Le Grillon was famous for being the spot where Cairo’s well-heeled would gather for drinks and a meal before and after national icon Umm Kalthoum’s performances in the nearby Qasr el Nil Theatre (and even during the intermission). Today it’s more shabby than chic, and we wouldn’t recommend eating there. But it’s still a good spot to go for a drink and a shisha in their closed terrace.
- Greek Club: Located above the patisserie Groppi on Talaat Harb Square, the Greek Club when it first opened in 1906 was just that: a Greeks-only club where members could gather for dinner, drinks and live music. Today it’s still popular as a Downtown bar, especially its open-air terrace, and while it doesn’t feel particularly Greek anymore, they still take a stab at it with the menu and blue and white checked tablecloths.
Rooftop Baladi Bars: Views and Brews
Downtown also has several rooftop bars which are a far cry from the fancier rooftop bars elsewhere in Cairo (here’s a list of our favorite Cairo rooftop bars).
Here are a few rooftop baladi bars where you can enjoy a drink with a view:
- Odeon: Odeon’s a 24/7 rooftop bar (on top of the shabby Odeon Hotel) and has been a Downtown Cairo staple for decades now. Popular with Cairo’s artistic and cinematic crowd, as well as foreigners, it’s always an interesting mix of people.
- Carlton: On top of the dated 3 star Carlton Hotel is a surprisingly nice and breezy rooftop. The hotel has been open since 1935 and definitely hasn’t taken any steps into the 21st century (the interiors seem stuck somewhere in the 1980s), but the rooftop is simple and straightforward.
- Happy City: Atop another shabby hotel in Downtown of the same name, the Happy City rooftop bar is actually more well known than the hotel itself (although to be fair, the bar's real name is Wadi el Melouk, but no local calls it that. Being a baladi bar, it’s cheap and cheerful, and popular on weekends or nights with football matches.
And luckily Cairo has some great bars to kick back and unwind in - from the historic and weathered baladi bars of downtown to the ritzy lounges of New Cairo.
Other Notable Bars in Cairo
Beyond Downtown Cairo, the city offers a variety of other bars worth exploring.
- The Tap (New Cairo and Sheikh Zayed): The Tap is a fun spot with cold beers, foosball tables, game nights and retro DJs. They also have what’s probably Cairo’s best selection of Tex-Mex food.
- Nile Zamalek Hotel Rooftop (Zamalek): The rooftop bar at the battered Nile Zamalek Hotel has some of the best Nile views in the city - they are so sweeping and grand that they truly give you a feel for the majesty of Africa’s longest river.
- Crimson (Zamalek): This chic cocktail bar serves up ritzy drinks with gorgeous Cairo views through its tall glass windows.
- 1897 The Bar & Cigar Lounge (New Cairo): Filled with plush leather chairs, rich ochre walls and heavy curtains, 1897 The Bar is an atmospheric lounge for a cigar puff and glass of wine.
- Cairo Jazz Club (Agouza): A champion of the city’s independent music scene, the Cairo Jazz Club is a prime spot to catch local music (from rock to hip hop) with a cold beer and a lively crowd.
- Pub 28 (Zamalek): Pub 28 is a comfortable neighborhood bar with the rustic ambiance of a British pub and a roster of regulars.
- Cairo Cellar (Zamalek): Cairo Cellar is a dim and cozy little bar in the style of a traditional English pub that’s changed little since it opened in 1978.
- Odeon Palace Bar (Downtown): The Odeon Palace Bar is another dusty downtown rooftop bar with sweeping city views and battered chairs.
Table: Summary of Recommended Bars
| Bar Name | Type | Location | Highlights |
|---|---|---|---|
| El Horreya | Baladi Bar | Downtown Cairo | Affordable beer, chess, local vibe |
| Cafe Riche | Historic Bar | Downtown Cairo | Historical significance, vintage atmosphere |
| Odeon Rooftop | Rooftop Bar | Downtown Cairo | 24/7, artistic crowd, city views |
| The Tap | Modern Bar | New Cairo & Sheikh Zayed | Cold beers, foosball, Tex-Mex food |
| Nile Zamalek Hotel Rooftop | Rooftop Bar | Zamalek | Nile views, relaxed atmosphere |
Whether you're looking for a historic experience, a local hangout, or a rooftop view, Cairo's bar scene has something to offer every visitor.
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