Manila Travel Forum

Hey all,
What's the nightlife like in Manila on weekdays? Will the bars and clubs still be buzzing on a Monday night?
My impression is that Manila is pretty happening 24-7 - would that be a fair assumption?
I'm arriving with some friends Monday evening and we have one night to spend in Manila and would really like to have a good night out before we retire to the peace and quiet of Palawan. Can anyone recommend a nice place to have a good Filipino dinner and some places to go out afterwards? We're probably staying in the Malate area - would this be the best choice for a one night stay?
Thanks for your help - can't wait to get over there!

I agree with your impression on Manila (and Metro Manila for that matter which includes neighboring cities) though Friday and Saturday are normally the "buzz-iest" days.

Malate is the best choice, restos and bars abound that are open way past midnight. And the crowd is composed of local and backpackers. Other options are for nightlife: Makati (Greenbelt and Burgos), Quezon City (Eastwood, Timog), Tagig (The Fort).

For Filipino dinner, you may want to try Max's Restaurant, Aristocrat or Zamboanga Restaurant.

Can't go wrong with Malate. Dencio's inside Robinson's place (second level if I remember) is a good place to have Filipino food and drinks [the buckets are always a good deal]. You can always move on to the countless bars along Adriatico when the mall closes.

And don't be fooled by laidback, quiet Palawan. Late, drunken nights are possible.
Happy trails!

Thanks for your suggestions. I'm half Filipina myself and I'm organising the trip so I feel a little responsible for making sure my friends have a good time (even though I haven't been to the Philippines since I was 12!) Glad to hear there will be plenty to do on our big night out.
Any good bars in Malate for live music or late night clubs with a bit of a mid week buzz?

Afterwards we'll be going to Busuanga/Coron where I expect we'll have to make our own fun after dark. :)

Plenty of bars along Adriatico and Pedro Gil sts featuring live music. Just walk along those and you'll see who's playing at this and that bar and the music genre. Haven't been in there for a long time since I graduated from the large crowd, I-gotta-be-seen type of places.
Nowadays I prefer Cowboy Grill in Mabini for local rock bands, that bar in Nakpil that usually does indie groups or open mike nights (can't recall the name now), The Hobbit House when Freddie Aguilar plays or those little known bars where people hang out listening to music (live but not loud) playing while people chat about or playing pool and knocking off beers. Cafe Adriatico is nice too for just chilling. A bit pricey though.

Check out Hell Divers/that bar attached to Sea Divers in Coron.