Polite Pub
Polite Pub is a rooftop bar in the Old Quarter that draws a crowd with cheap drinks, live music, and views over the tangle of streets below. The rooftop fills nightly with backpackers and young travelers who've discovered that the view of Hanoi at night is best appreciated from above. Live music, usually acoustic covers, adds energy. Drinks are cheap but not bia hoi cheap.
What to Expect
A rooftop bar with Old Quarter views and live music. Budget-friendly and social.
Rooftop social with Old Quarter views.
Live acoustic covers and Vietnamese pop
Casual.
Budget travelers seeking rooftop views.
Cash (VND) and some cards
Price Range
Beer 30,000-50,000 VND, cocktails 60,000-100,000 VND
≈ €1-4 / $1-4
Hours
Daily from 4 PM to midnight
Insider Tip
The rooftop fills early. Come by 5 PM for a table. The live music varies in quality.
Full Review
Polite Pub pulls backpackers and young travelers to a rooftop in the Old Quarter with a straightforward proposition: cheap drinks, live music, and views over the tangle of streets below. The rooftop space is the main asset, offering a perspective on Hanoi's Old Quarter that the street-level bars can't provide. Live acoustic covers, usually Vietnamese pop and international hits, add energy without overwhelming the setting.
The crowd is budget-focused and social. Solo travelers find it easy to join conversations because the rooftop's limited space naturally pushes people together. The drinks are cheap but not bia hoi cheap, sitting in the mid-range for Old Quarter bars. The live music quality varies by night, ranging from genuinely enjoyable to barely competent. The view stays consistent regardless.
In the Old Quarter's dense bar landscape, Polite Pub's rooftop position gives it an edge over the ground-level competition. It doesn't compete with Funky Buddha on sound or Mao's Red Lounge on atmosphere. It competes on elevation and the simple pleasure of looking down at the streets you were walking thirty minutes ago.
The rooftop fills early, so come by 5 PM for a table. Live music quality is inconsistent, so manage expectations. The views of the Old Quarter at night are the real draw.
The Neighborhood
The Old Quarter's rooftop bars have become a subgenre of Hanoi nightlife, offering escape from the chaotic street level. Polite Pub is among the more established entries in this category.
Getting There
In the Old Quarter, walkable from Hoan Kiem Lake in five minutes. The narrow streets make motorcycle taxis more practical than cars.
Where to stay in Hanoi
Compare hotels near the nightlife districts. Free cancellation on most properties.
Other Venues in Hoan Kiem
Binh Minh's Jazz Club
Hanoi's longest-running jazz venue with nightly performances in an intimate room near the Opera House. Mixed crowd of locals and expats, relaxed and sophisticated atmosphere.
Summit Lounge
Rooftop bar at the Sofitel Legend Metropole with views across the city center. Cocktails run 200,000-350,000 VND with a smart casual dress code.
Mao's Red Lounge
Communist-themed bar and club spread across multiple floors near Hoan Kiem Lake. Plays hip-hop and EDM, popular with both locals and tourists on weekend nights.
GC Bar
Compact cocktail bar in the Old Quarter with well-made drinks at reasonable prices. A quieter option away from the beer street noise.