Arusha’s Nightlife
There are many hot nightlife spots around Arusha. Some of the most popular are Via Via, Maasai Camp, Lively Lady and Johnny’s Bar at TGT.
Velocity at Njiro is one of hottest local nightclubs, offering a Discotheque, Sports Lounge, Karaoke, a Cocktail Bar and even a Sheesha (waterpipe) Lounge.
Tip: Friday nights at the Blue Heron or The Greek Club is one of the top places to be.
Club D
Location: Moshono Arusha
Thursdays: Ladies night
Friday: Thank God it’s Friday
Saturday: Black out or Get out
One of best of Arusha nightclubs. Located in the Moshono area of Arusha town, World Garden: Club D was crafted with the distinct objective of providing classic Entertainment to night-clubbers and party revelers. Nestled below the foot of Mount Meru the venue brings glitz, excitement and taste, hence standing out as the Classic nightlife venue that packs all the style and fun for classic people
Location: Sakina Road Arusha
Wednesday: Ladies free night
If you want to party where the locals go, this is one of the best ways to experience Tanzanian nightlife. Its affordable and fun. Hip Hop, Ragga, Reggae, Bolingo (Modern Tanzanian fusion)
Hook Up – Bar & Lounge
Location: Njiro sun park rd. Arusha
Wednesday: Caribbean (Reggae) Night
Thursday: Karaoke
Friday & Saturday: Live Dj
Sundays: Oldies
Special marked Dates: Celebrity live music, musicians such as TID, ….
This is a smaller nightclub in Arusha but it attracts locals in huge numbers. The Hook Up is owned by a young and energetic couple, famously known to support Tanzanian music artists both financially and with their marketing. It has made the lounge the best place to be, especially when these young Tanzanian Artists perform live. Every local wants to meet these celebrities! Be sure not to miss visiting this night spot in Arusha, especially when there is live music.
Via Via – Cultural Lounge & Café
Location: Garden of Arusha museum, Boma Rd Arusha
Many people in Arusha are familiar with Via Via cultural café, located in the garden of the museum at Boma Road. The restaurant is a popular haunt of ICTR workers at lunchtime, and the place to party on Thursday nights when the calm cafe ambiance often transmutes into a raucous party with live music. According to Philippe Glauser, the general manager, “Via Via strives to be more than just a café where people eat and drink. Via Via aims to develop culture and bring people together.”
Glauser explains that the Via Via in Arusha is simply one of 11 affiliated Via Vias worldwide. Jocar, a Belgian tour company, and the Livingstone Group, an NGO collaborated to open the Arusha Via Via.
Glauser, a Belgian with a long history working in Africa for humanitarian groups, noted: “What makes Via Via different from other restaurants, cafes, and discotheques is that we work as a ‘cultural café.’ We reinvest profit in promoting culture, developing culture, and also work hard, in conjunction with the Belgian government, to help the museum where we are located.”
Empire Sports Bar
Location: At the TFA Complex, Arusha
Tuesday: Acoustic jam down, live music
Wednesday: karaoke and after party with the DJ
Friday: Sling Shot Club, Dancehall and Ragga vibes, no entrance fee.
Saturday: Warriors from The East, Live music from 9 pm
Sunday: Chill. The big wall screen is always on giving you any sport you would like to watch. You are all welcome!
A large modern bar, with high ceiling and mezzanine floor, pool tables, dart board, lounge bar, large TVs for watching sport and some tables outside in the courtyard. Popular with expats.
Babylon Club
Location: Metrople Rd. Arusha
I finally felt like I was back in Tanzania. Comfortably reinstated as the minority, the four white people we went with (volunteers at a different orphanage) were the only white people in the crowd. Feels like home. We were not scoffed at for being white and infiltrating their locals-only dance party but rather lovingly included in the mosh pit. I have always felt welcome in Tanzania as a mzungu in an all local party. This, to me, is one of the things that makes Tanzania so special. Locals want us to feel like Tanzania and all that it has to offer (including its bars) is our home just as much as it is theirs.
(A Mzungu in Tanzania Blog)
Boogaloo Club
Location: Njiro Shopping Complex
This Club/Bar area is famous for a multicultural get together. As it is located in the Arusha’s biggest shopping center. The bar/club is famous for its Nyama Choma BBQ and the best sweet banana BBQ. There is an inside and an outdoor area that makes the Bar suitable to all characters.
Johnny’s Bar
Location: Near Arusha Airport at TGT grounds.
This is the place to be on Friday nights, especially with their famous Happy Hour: buy one get one free on all beers and wines.
Le Patio Bar/ lounge/ restaurant
If you fancy a tranquil dining experience in Arusha, look no further. Having evolved from a home to a pre-school, the property has been remodelled into a lavish restaurant, with plenty of comfortable outdoor sitting options. The menu is amazing and guaranteed to leave you with a smile on your face! For those with a sweet tooth, this might just be a trap; the desserts are out of this world. Great bar, service is impeccable and the occasional theme nights add the icing onto this cake!
Le Patio is one of the newest restaurants in Arusha, and it has quickly become THE place to be. The food is as diverse as it’s clientele, which makes it a great place. There are different areas so whether you want to sit at the bar, lounge around at leisure, have a snack in the garden or a gourmet meal in the dining area, it is all possible. This makes it ideal for a business lunch, but also nice to meet with friends and bring your children. The music is always good, and there are a number of different events and occasions with live music. Since the dining area and garden is so big, you will always find a cosy nook to sit close to the crowd or more privately. The grill is always turning out excellent dishes, the pizzas are creative and many items on the menu are unique to Le Patio: a clear effort has been made to have a diverse, original menu. There is a choice of wines by the glass, which is nice, as well as local beers. And do not forget the patisserie, the variety of cakes and sweets is bigger and better than anywhere else in Arusha.
(Comments: on Trip Advisor)
If there is any event from Independence Day to Halloween, Le patio will host all those parties.
Fig & Olive /Cocktail bar/Restaurant
Location: Haili Salasi Road, Arusha,
Friday: Happy Hour from 18.00 – 20.00 hrs.
The Fig & Olive is a Mediterranean Restaurant in the centre of Arusha, Fresh and modern cuisine, with an amazing open space and great bar.
The Fig and Olive offers Mediterranean cuisine and is open for lunch and dinner from Mondays through to Saturdays. Sundays they are open for brunch and lunch. Join them on Friday for Happy Hour from 6pm until 8pm. Beers and house wine are buy one get one free.
Lively Lady Bar & Grill
Location: Most taxi drivers don’t know where it is- so you have to describe it- its off sokonie road past meru house post office towards shoprite/ now Nakumat super market- its down a dirt road and a sketchy looking alley
This is one of those little backstreet gems where the locals hang out that you won’t find in the glossy brochures; small, quaint and friendly with a great vibe and realistic pricing. This is the place to meet real people in Arusha, a cultural melting pot with a great atmosphere and decent local food, the bar starts to come alive after ten, this is a late night venue.
If you like rock, good vibes and great food this is the place for you. The staff is the friendliest we’ve found in Arusha who take pride in the service they give which is very high. The food is delicious, it might take some time to arrive but it’s worth it! They also have live music every now and then. It’s been buzzing every time we’ve been there and its most definitely worth a visit if you’re in town – in fact, let’s all go now!