The ultimate guide to the best bars and beach clubs in Bali

Our top picks for the best bars in Bali include everything from family-friendly beach clubs to atmospheric izakayas.

From tucked-away drinking dens to beachfront bars with DJ booths, here is our pick of some of the best bars in Bali for a beverage or two. And it’s not all about necking cheap Bintangs. With a raft of shimmering hotels and resorts rising along its edges, Bali now has bars and beach clubs that cater to all comers. Here are 22 of the best.

1. Buzo Izakaya e birra

On your next whirlwind bar crawl in Seminyak, chalk up a visit to Buzo Izakaya e Birra. This sophisticated bar is the latest happening haunt from Will Meyrick.

Pull up a stool in this 104-seater drinking den.

And the décor alone is enough to anoint customers into the Buzo congregation drawing as it does from a palette of warm wood tones, rich aubergines and gleaming copper.

Will Meyrick has gifted Bali with some of the island’s best restaurants. Now he’s taken things up a notch with this 104-seater drinking den which brews craft beers in-house.

The menu is sure to delight.

2. Le Club 22

Swing the spotlight away from Seminyak and point it toward the southernmost point of Bali. That’s where you will find Le Club 22, which evokes all the romance of Le Club 55, the St Tropez bar named after the year it was founded.

Le Club 22 is styled with all nautical blues and soft whites.

Le Club 22 was founded in – you guessed it – 2022. The delightful beach shack is styled like something from the Mamma Mia film set, all nautical blues and soft whites. After cocktails and bar bites with your toes in the sand, go for a boogie at the nearby Kanda Beach Club before resting your head at Karma Kandara.

Grab some bar bites with your toes in the sand at Karma Beach.

3. Boto Biru Bar & Grill

Linger at Boto Biru Bar & Grill while watching your other half ride the waves at Impossibles (named for the fact they are impossibly fast) out front of Anantara Uluwatu Bali Resort. There is probably no place as dazzling to watch orbs of sunlight glinting all around while surfers ride the waves rolling in toward the limestone cliffs of Uluwatu.  It’s one of the best bars in Bali for its front-row seat to the show. This destination bar also appeals as a spot to watch the sun descend with a post-swim Aperol spritz.

4. Woobar

‘Woah, wow, woo, epic!’ These are the words you will resort to using when you arrive at Woobar in boho-chic Seminyak.

Hop over to Woobar for a sundowner.

Woobar has its own music curator, Damian Saint, so you should snag a coveted outdoor table on the expansive deck and watch the magic happen to the soundtrack of water lapping the shores at the beachfront W Bali Seminyak resort. Choose your own adventure at the bar, which has zero-waste concept cocktails, a whiskey lounge, WET pool deck and wood-fired pizzas.

Enjoy an epic night out at Woobar.

5. Luna Beach Club

While Luna Beach Club near Nyani Beach is light and bright by day, it’s artfully illuminated at night with sculptures inspired by Burning Man, fibre-optic art installations and fairy lights. Luna Beach Club itself is arrayed around a manicured lawn, pulled up over the natural amphitheatre-like a crocheted green throw. There’s the Utopia Cave Club, an adults-only zone from 3pm. A jumping platform and slide. Bali’s biggest bespoke day beds. And the world-class Restaurant 369, one of the best new places to dine in Bali.

6. La Plancha

Cooking food ‘a la plancha’ means searing it over a very hot grill. It’s a reference to the style of food cooked in the founder Gonzalo Assiego’s hometown in Spain. La Plancha, established by the founder of the LYD Group, looks like the love child of a Balinese warung and Spanish chiringuito – all beanbags and bright Balinese umbrellas. The beach bar also sparkles with its festoon lighting, beautiful vintage vibe and service-oriented experiences. The secret’s out. But that’s how it goes. La Plancha has been the name on everyone’s lips since 2010. The LYD group also have La Brisa, La Favela, La Plancha and La Laguna, to name a few.

7. Motel Mexicola

Those on exotic Eat. Pray. Love. sabbaticals to Bali have been enjoying letting their hair down at Motel Mexicola for more than a decade. The bar is a riot of colour and neon and presents like a giant shrine to all things Mexican. Yes, there’s a lot of fun to be had over tacos and tequila, quesadillas and cervezas. The original Motel Mexicola in Seminyak now has a sister venue in Canggu and both are known for exuding character, warmth and idiosyncratic flourishes.

8. Hippie Fish

There’s something about being on holiday in Bali that inspires us to stop, pause and reflect. If you took a fish-eye’s view of Hippie Fish at dusk, you’d see the boho crowd standing out in sharp silhouettes against the burnt orange sky. Staring toward this bright basketball slam-dunking over the sea is a ritual in Bali and a peaceful way of marking the passing of another day. Hippie Fish is a sunny Mediterranean-inspired rooftop bar in Pererenan, a top spot to sip, mix and mingle. Order the calamari fritti and a coupla cocktails.

9. Rock Bar Bali at AYANA Bali

The New York Times voted Rock Bar as Bali’s best sunset venue in 2011. And while a lot of water has passed under the Jimbaran bridge since then, the spectacular setting 14 metres above the ocean remains the same.

Rock Bar Bali at AYANA Bali has been recognised as Bali’s best sunset venue in 2011.

The bar at the base of the towering cliffs that frame AYANA Bali was conceived of by Japanese glass artist Seiki Torige using recycled glass and is still a prime place to perch, sundowner in hand.

Head to the nearby After Rock nightspot for kick-ons.

The pristine Rock Bar rises 14 metres above the ocean.

10. Jungle Fish Pool Bar

The Jungle Fish Pool Bar is skirted by Ubud’s finest greenery. The pool bar is part of the Chapung Sebali hotel but welcomes non-residents to sunbathe on a day bed and swim in the pool for a minimum spend. Swim up to the pool bar for a cocktail and corn on the cob. Relax in a hanging bed. Or fuel up on tuna tataki and prawn wontons so you can dance like you’ve never danced before while enjoying the spectacular birds-eye view over the Wos River valley below. Live music starts from 7pm.

11. Souvenir Bar

Want a souvenir of Bali that goes beyond a fridge magnet? Take home some great memories instead. Souvenir Bar is an intimate 15-seater bar created by expats Louise Millroy, of Kinship Studio and Michael Madrid, a Bali-based photographer.

Cosy up in the intimate 15-seater Souvenir Bar.

The drinks list of natural wines, cocktails and sake was curated by Sophia Burger whose CV includes a stint at Noma, in Copenhagen. Expect seasonal bar bites and cocktails at this sophisticated zero-waste bar which has its own custom fragrance. Ooh-la-la.

Good times are guaranteed at Souvenir Bar.

12. Segno Bali

Segno is a sign that marks the beginning or the end. Take that as a good omen and bookend your evening at this hidden gem in Canggu. The speakeasy is all about finding the unexpected with everything from hand-cut ice to bespoke cocktails made to order. Expect a motley crew of expats kicking back in the coffee and caramel-hued space being entertained by bartenders who take their craft seriously. Plump for the Canggu Pornstar with vanilla and jackfruit butter with osso bucco arancini on the side.

13. One Eighty Bali

You can’t nab a table at the Cliff Bar unless you’re staying at The Edge. But you can get a day pass for the One Eighty which still offers a great 180-degree vantage point over Uluwatu.

Find your bliss at One Eighty Bali.

Join in-the-know crypto bros for creative takes on classic cocktails and a few signature starters such as cheeseburger sliders and tacos. Wait until sunset when the ocean shines like a sapphire in the last of the light before heading out for dinner in Uluwatu.

Laze by the poolside.

14. SugarSand

The No.1 quandary you will be faced with at SugarSand is which cocktail to order from the comfort of your sun lounger, steps away from the sugar-white sands of Seminyak Beach.

The beachfront bar and grill skews toward Japanese izakaya cuisine so you can snack on light bites such as edamame, chicken katsu sandwiches and glazed chicken karaage.

Snack on light bites at SugarSand.

The drinks list also pays homage to cocktail culture in Japan with pun-tastic drinks like the ume-groni. The bar and grill are at Hotel Indigo Bali Seminyak Beach.

Lounge on your sunbed with a cocktail in hand.

15. Beach Bar at Alila Seminyak

A bar prefaced with the word beach is a good bet during the sunset hour in Seminyak. The bar at Alila Seminyak is also the kind of place where you can lose track of time.

Don’t miss golden hour in Alila Seminyak’s Beach Bar.

The bar has beanbags, big tunes and a menu that will keep you well-fuelled ahead of a night of dancing. Ask the mixologist to muddle up a Tangerine Whisper which you can pair with a selection of bar bites such as seared prawns and calamari.

Alila Seminyak is centred around a communal area that includes four infinity pools.

Order oysters to pair with your cocktails.

16. The Lawn Canggu

Expect a bit of whiplash while lingering at The Lawn as the world-class venue attracts some of the biggest names in music and surfing. Pro surfer Tai Buddha is behind The Lawn Canggu so don’t even think about cutting his grass.

Nab a spot under beach umbrellas at The Lawn.

The seeds for The Lawn were sowed when Tai started serving margaritas to surfers and beachgoers out of a Combi van in Canggu.

Now a world-class venue, you can start from day sippers like the Aperol Splush and snacks before moving on to more substantial mains paired with tiki treats.

Sip on some frozen Aperol Splush cocktails by the pool.

17. Single Fin Bali

You don’t have to surf a single fin to gain entry to Single Fin Bali. But the love of a longboard definitely unites salty-haired surfers shooting the breeze at this iconic cliffside beach bar which pays homage to the pioneering surfers who discovered Uluwatu in the 1970s. Check the bar’s live webcam before wriggling into your rashie. Flat out front? No matter. The iconic clifftop bar with the Cali meets Canggu vibe is a good place for all tribes to gather. Stay across the events page on the website as it offers updates on the annual Uluwatu Single Fin Classic.

18. Mrs Sippy

Mrs Sippy is a perennially popular holiday spot for Aussies who will find all their vaycay cravings covered at this Seminyak stalwart, where local and international DJs hit the decks on the daily.

Soak up the ocean breeze on a sun lounger.

Start practising your double pike and tuck to impress your new mates hanging poolside at Mrs Sippy, home to Bali’s largest freeform swimming pool.

Yes, it’s okay to do a victory lap in your Scunnos if you execute that backflip. Carb-load post-dive on pineapple-laden Hawaiian pizza and cocktails for the win.

Dine by the pool at Mrs Sippy.

19. Desa Potato Head Beach Club

It’s impossible to scratch the surface of Potato Head Beach Club in a day. Swim, eat, sip and unwind at the beach club, where the seeds for Potato Head first sprouted.

Desa Potato Head Beach Club is set on the beachfront in Seminyak.

Walk-ins are welcome, though like most of Bali’s beach clubs, there is a cover charge to enter the club during peak hours.

It doesn’t matter what time of the day or night you visit this creative playground built on the beachfront in Seminyak: you’re guaranteed a great time. There’s no dress code so embrace your Brat girl era and get amongst it.

Sip and unwind at Desa Potato Head Beach Club.

20. Cafe del Mar

Bali is known for having some of the most beautiful beaches in the world. It’s got some big beach club energy too. Cue the Cafe del Mar soundtrack: the little sister to the OG Cafe del Mar Beach Club in Ibiza has captured the spirit of the best beach clubs from around the world and imbued it with a breezy Balinese vibe. Maintain your superiority by booking a private pool both set back from the infinity pool away from the hoi polloi. Nothing hits like a dozen oysters, natural with a sinful litre of sangria.

21. COMO Beach Club

COMO takes the concept of a humble beach shack and elevates it up the yin-yang at COMO Beach Club at COMO Una Canggu.

Think all-day dining. Day beds on swings. And a drinks menu listing everything from pitchers of punch to classic cocktails and mocktails.

Take in tropical vibes at COMO Beach Club.

Forget no-frills. Think all the bells and whistles and then some. Order a globetrotting array of comfort snackage such as a platter of cured meats and pickles and pork and prawn dumplings or the aptly named Big Raw Salad.

Sip on a sundowner poolside.

22. The Byrd House Bali

Head to Segara Village Hotel on Bali’s east coast if you’re in the mood for mixing it up. Once you find your favourite spot to perch at the onsite Byrd House, you might want to turn your attention to the birds in the trees to mimic their territorial behaviour. The main building of the Byrd House has been designed to emulate a nest. Come home to roost after a day spent surfing to enjoy cocktails and nibbles by the pool.