Five Of The Best Rock Bar & Pub In Thamel

Are you looking for some good cuisine accompanied by live music?

Thamel is a place where good food meets good music. There are lots of live rock bars in Thamel. Personally, I started to attend TGIF (Thank God It’s Friday) events in Thamel long ago. I have already tried most of such bars in Thamel, probably there are none left.

Without any unfairness, I just love Purple Haze Rock Bar. Sometimes they invite some metal bands from India who perform paying tribute to Metallica and Guns N Roses. Just a month ago I attended ‘tribute to Metallica’ by an Indian Band named Apocalypse.

Most of the time I gather with my friends or join a couch surfing event. Unfortunately, I couldn’t join their Tribute to Lamb of God which took place just a week ago.

Being a fan of rock music, I normally prefer a good amphitheatre. Here is a list of five such bars and pubs in Thamel that I would love to go whenever it’s possible would highly recommend these places to others. This is just my personal review and the list is based on my last visit.

Don’t take it seriously, it’s just a random listing. But be careful! Don’t pay attention to young youth asking on the streets for you to join inside their dance bars. Don’t pay attention to them, they are just creepy. All of these recommended bars are on the mainline of Kathmandu Guest House, in central Thamel. They are almost at a distance of a couple of minutes walk from one another.

Try some of these bars, they are far better than other overrated ones. I found Rum Doodle Bar as one of the most overrated bars in Thamel. Without any due, here is the list of the top five best rock bars in Kathmandu (Thamel).

1. Purple Haze | Prayatan Marg Road Thamel

Purple haze, all in my brain
Lately, things don’t seem the same.
Actin’ funny, but I don’t know why
Excuse me while I kiss the sky

I bet this is the coolest and most awesome rock bar in Thamel that you can find. Their stage is something different from any other bars in Thamel. Hall is pretty big, and you will have a good open space for a headbang.

The balcony offers the best view of rocking performances by local bands. The sound system is good, and so are the performers. The food is awesome. Especially on the weekends, they might charge you for the entry fee, which is less than five hundred.

But you will get complimentary drinks. Pass your coupon on the bar and choose your drink. If you are in a big group, you can reserve a table before your visit (minimum 6 people). Their toilets are not that good, but you can easily adjust. It will be easier to adjust if you are drunk?

Hookahs are available along with drinks and food. The bar will be closed exactly at twelve at midnight. Arrange your means of transport. If you still want to hang around, just beneath the Purple Haze there is Club OMG where the party will be still on and lasts till two in the night. Ladies will get free entry whereas for gents it is five hundred for Club OMG.

2. Reggae Bar | J.P. Road Thamel

Next to Haze, there is another small yet stunning rock bar named Reggae Bar. This is a good alternative when the haze is crowded. They will serve you good food and chilled beer. The stage is almost on the level of the dance floor. You can stand in front of the band and enjoy the show.

Performance does depend on bands. I mostly enjoy the stage performance by ‘Cobweb’. When it’s crowded, you can’t enjoy live performances cause’ a mass of standing people blocks the view.

Staffs are pretty friendly and are easily accessible anytime. I don’t frequently go to the Reggae Bar, but I always enjoy the arena whenever I go there. This is my second choice after Haze, so when Haze is overcrowded, I join this bar.

Definitely, there will be a large flow of rock fans in Reggie. Give Reggae Bar a try for next to nothing, and you will definitely love it. Similar to other bars, it will be closed when the clock hits twelve at midnight.

3. Tom & Jerry Pub| Chaksibari Marg Road Thamel

Wow! This is another cool place that I frequently go and hang around. There are two pool tables, as well. Order your drink and start playing the pool. There is no such live music here in Tom & Jerry Pub. The dance floor is stunning with disco lights and good music. You will find lots of Western youths enjoying the pub. The only thing I don’t appreciate about this pub is some local travel agency’s marketing strategy. You will find brochures and flyers related to trek and tours within Nepal, Tibet and Bhutan at every table.

The rest of the things are nice. Staffs are friendly, and the arena is cool. You can find a crazy dance floor and pool table in the same hall. I was there about a week ago with some of my friends from China. One of my friends had a birthday on the same day, and we decided to give her a surprise with a birthday cake. But the staff gave us another big surprise. Guess what!

They played Michael Jackson’s song “Happy Birthday”, and that’s a good sense of humour. So basically, this is the right place if you prefer R&B music to rock. Enjoy good food, drink, a pool table and a crazy dance floor.

4. Paddy Foley’s Pub | Kathmandu Guest House Road Thamel

Just in front of Kathmandu Guest House, Paddy Foley’s Pub is also a great place to hang around. This is a small rock bar where you can sit on a comfortable couch and enjoy the live performance.

You might feel the area is a bit congested as it lacks an open floor. It’s a long rectangular hall with a passage from the middle of the hall. On either side of the passage, there are couches. Order your drink and food.

There is no one to block the view of live performance. If you feel too noisy, you can try for tables on the rooftop anytime. If you are in a big group, let’s say around five people, this place is not for you. Only four people can comfortably share one table; otherwise, you have to ask them to merge two tables. Sometimes they might not be performing live rock music. Don’t worry! You still can enjoy the amphitheatre with cool R&B music.

I found some couch-surfing events being hosted in this place often. It was just yesterday, on March 20th, I was there with one of my friends to attend a couch surfing, meet-up. However, ten couch surfers had chosen the option of attending the meetup. We ended up with a cool friend from Boston who was here for four months of volunteering. Maybe at the next meet-up, we can go to Purple Haze.

5. Lhasa Bar | Kathmandu Guest House Road Thamel

Probably the smallest one in Thamel!

Yes, this is the smallest rock bar in Thamel. I think hardly fifteen to twenty people can enjoy Lhasa at a time. If you are in a good group, you can treat this place as your private venue. In the middle of nowhere, there is a small dance floor as well.

The seating arrangement is perfect. I have visited there a couple of times and found that sometimes even visitors can try rock n roll. If you know lyrics and they know guitar notes, what next? Just rock the stage.

You might feel some reverberations; however, they are on a tolerable level. It is located on the 1st floor, next to Full Moon café (Next to Hotel North Field) on the south of Kathmandu Guest. Unlike other bar entrances, the entrance of this bar is not marked. But, once you figure out the place, no doubt you can look around and make your way to the bar.