Hole in the Wall
Hole in the Wall has been part of Paceville's fabric for over three decades, surviving on cheap drinks, a no-frills atmosphere, and the loyalty of generations of Maltese partygoers. The venue occupies a narrow space on Triq Ball with a bar running the length of one wall and standing room that fills to capacity early on weekends. There's no pretension here: the floors are sticky, the lighting is minimal, and the music comes from a speaker system that prioritizes volume over clarity. It's the kind of bar that every party district needs, serving as the place where the night starts, the budget holds, and the social barriers drop. The crowd is overwhelmingly young, typically 18-25, with a heavy presence of language school students and British tourists who've found their way to the cheapest pints in Paceville.
What to Expect
A narrow, loud, packed bar with cheap drinks and a young crowd. You'll be standing close to strangers, shouting over the music, and probably holding your drink above your head to navigate the crowd.
Loud, young, sticky-floored, and unapologetically basic. A pre-game bar that some people never leave.
Chart hits, pop-punk, and whatever the DJ thinks will keep the under-25 crowd moving
None. Literally anything goes. This is the opposite of Hugo's Lounge.
Budget drinkers, students, anyone who wants cheap drinks and doesn't care about ambiance
Cash preferred, cards accepted with minimum spend
Price Range
Beer EUR 2.50-4, shots EUR 2-3, cocktails EUR 5-8
Beer ~$3-4 USD, shots ~$2-3 USD, cocktails ~$5-9 USD
Hours
Daily from 8 PM to 2 AM, later on weekends
Insider Tip
Get there early for a spot at the bar. The crowd spills outside by 10 PM on weekends. Don't wear nice shoes; the floor situation is what you'd expect.
Full Review
Hole in the Wall is Paceville distilled to its essence. There's a bar, there are cheap drinks, there's music, and there are a lot of people who are just starting their night or who never bothered to move on. The venue has been around long enough that parents who partied here in the '90s now worry about their kids doing the same.
The physical space is simple: a narrow rectangle with the bar on one side and not enough room on the other. In practice, the crowd expands onto the street, creating an indoor-outdoor dynamic that works because Paceville's streets are de facto pedestrian zones on busy nights anyway.
Drink prices are Paceville's lowest. A Cisk lager for EUR 2.50-3 is possible during happy hour, and even at full price, nothing crosses EUR 8. The cocktails aren't going to win awards, but they're strong and cheap, which is what the target audience wants.
The crowd is the youngest in Paceville. Language school students, who come to Malta from all over Europe to study English during the summer, have adopted Hole in the Wall as their unofficial headquarters. This means you'll hear Italian, Spanish, French, and German alongside Maltese and English. The mixing is organic and friendly.
You don't go to Hole in the Wall for the experience. You go because it's cheap, it's easy, and everyone ends up there at some point in a Paceville night.
The Neighborhood
On Triq Ball, a short walk from St. George's Road. Plum Bar is nearby for a similar vibe with outdoor seating. The larger clubs are a 2-minute walk for when you're ready to move on.
Getting There
Central Paceville location. Walk from any St. Julian's hotel or take any bus to the Paceville area.
Address
Triq Ball, Paceville
Other Venues in Paceville
Havana Club
Malta's largest nightclub occupying multiple floors with mainstream pop, hip-hop, and commercial dance music. The main room holds over 1,000 people on peak nights.
Hugo's Lounge
A multi-level rooftop terrace and lounge overlooking Spinola Bay with cocktails, DJs, and a dressed-up crowd. The views make it Paceville's most upscale venue.
Club Numero Uno
An underground club playing electronic and house music with a darker, more intimate atmosphere than the mainstream venues on the strip.
Plum Bar
A popular pre-club bar with affordable drinks, outdoor seating, and a mixed crowd of locals and tourists warming up for the late-night venues.
Level 22
A rooftop bar on the 22nd floor of the Portomaso Tower with panoramic views of St. Julian's Bay and the Mediterranean. Cocktail-focused with a smart dress code.