With Plush, B1, Party Room and Rank having bit the dust, Mint bowing out this weekend and Room 18 taking a break, now is as good a time as any to take stock and see exactly what is out there.
Luxy
Open since 2003, Luxy is Taipei’s largest and best venue to see top-class international DJs. The main room features hip-hop, pop and R ’n’ B, while the other room hosts electronic dance music. Great sound system. Capacity is about 2,000. Ladies night on Wednesday and house dance party on Thursdays.
▲Wednesdays to Saturdays, NT$500 to NT$600 (free entry before 11pm)
▲5F, 201, Zhongxiao E Rd Sec 4, Taipei City (台北市忠孝東路四段201號5樓)
▲www.luxy-taipei.com
Primo
The capital’s most exclusive and stylish club operates a membership scheme. Everything and everyone here looks extremely posh and it’s the perfect location for celebrity spotting. Music policy is hip-hop/house.
▲Wednesdays to Saturdays, NT$1,000 for non-members
▲2F, 297, Zhongxiao E Rd Sec 5, Taipei City (台北市忠孝東路五段297號2樓)
▲www.club-primo.com
Jump
Descendant of Taipei’s biggest underground gay club, TeXound. Expect nothing but electronic dance/house music here.
▲Fridays and Saturdays, NT$500
▲B1, 8, Keelung Rd Sec 1, Taipei City (台北市基隆路一段8號B1)
▲www.club-jump.com
Mint
This snazzy hip-hop club has a killer location: Taipei 101. But tomorrow will be Mint’s last party as a new club is due to open in the venue on April 10.
▲Free admission (from 9pm) tonight and tomorrow
▲B1, 45, Shifu Rd, Taipei City (台北市市府路45號B1)
Room 18
Famed for its model, fashionista and wannabe clientele, Room 18 is one of Taipei’s longest-running nightclubs. Two rooms: house and hip-hop. The venue is being renovated and is scheduled to reopen on April 1.
▲Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, NT$600
▲B1, 88, Songren Rd, Taipei City (台北市松仁路88號B1)
▲www.room18.com.tw
All-you-can-drink (or should that be drink-all-you-can?) venues
Almost all of these all-you-can-drink dance clubs play a similar kind of music — Top 40 hip-hop, pop and R ’n’ B, and often use dress-code theme parties — think sexy nurses and bikini bashes — as promotional tactics. The crowds they attract are very much alike: students, horny lads and those who want to go on a bender. Girls who dress accordingly can often get free or cheaper admission.
Lava
Room 18’s next-door neighbor, Lava is the Xinyi District’s hottest all-you-can-drink club. Weekends are always packed.
▲Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays are all-you-can-drink, Fridays and Saturdays are not. NT$300 to NT$700
▲B1, 22, Songshou Rd, Taipei City (台北市松壽路22號B1)
Pasoul
Lava’s younger sister, another trendy spot at which to drink until you hurl.
▲Wednesdays to Saturdays, NT$500 to NT$800
▲B1, 223, Dunhua S Rd Sec 1, Taipei City (台北市敦化南路一段223號B1)
Hips
Used to host Taipei’s best salsa night but it’s now struggling to stay in business.
▲Wednesdays to Sundays, NT$200 to NT$300
▲B1, 277, Dunhua S Rd Sec 2, Taipei City (台北市敦化南路二段277號B1)
Club W (Formerly Wax)
We called it gritty, a basement dive and the nastiest bar in town — so it can’t be bad. It was renovated last year and the name was changed from Wax to Club W.
▲Mondays to Sundays, NT$100 to NT$500 (all-you-can-drink)
▲B1, 67, Roosevelt Rd Sec 2, Taipei City (台北市羅斯福路2段67號B1)
Deep Passion
▲Wednesdays to Saturdays, NT$200 to NT$700
▲B1, 217, Nanjing E Rd Sec 3, Taipei City (台北市南京東路三段217號B1)
9%
A small, two-level establishment in the Shida area next to Roxy 99. Open since 2006.
▲Mondays to Sundays, NT$200 to NT$600
▲B1, 222, Jinshan S Rd Sec 2, Taipei City (台北市金山南路二段222號B1)
▲www.9club.com.tw
Babe 18
A “lite” version of Room 18 with a much younger following.
▲B1, 18, Songshou Rd, Taipei City (台北市松壽路18號B1)
▲www.room18.com.tw/babe18
DV8
DV8 is the newest club in town and it’s run by the “king of night market hard house,” DJ Jerry (羅百吉). Lately it’s been the hotspot for after-hours clubbers on Sunday mornings when electro house (instead of “Taiwanese techno”) is on offer.
▲Wednesdays to Saturdays, NT$299 to NT$500. The after-hours bash is not all-you-can-drink
▲249, Fuxing S Rd Sec 1, Taipei City (台北市復興南路一段249號B1)
NOTE: The above admission prices are provided for reference only. Check with the club for the cost of entry.
WARNING: Excessive consumption of alcohol can damage your health and make you sleep with ugly people.
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