Going out downtown

West Palm Beach Nightlife

A local editor's guide to going out in downtown West Palm Beach. Bars, clubs, cocktail rooms, and live music, verified block by block.

Downtown WPB's nightlife runs on three unofficial currents. Clematis Street is the open-container Thursday-night strip, Clematis by Night fountain crowds and the bars that stay full after. CityPlace is the big-room, bigger-group play, where bachelorette parties and birthdays end up. NORA and Northwood are where downtown's cocktail bars live: smaller rooms, better drinks, bartenders who actually know what they're doing. The picks and groupings below are all verified, all current, and all click through to the bar's own page.

Our picks right now

Where we'd meet a friend after work

Nightlife Forget Me Not Clematis Street Two-room nightclub and neighborhood bar on Clematis Street, with The Main Room for dancing and The Locals Lounge for a laid-back drink.

Nightlife Lost Weekend WPB Clematis Street Legendary Clematis Street pool hall and bar with pinball, vintage arcade games, craft beer, and a lively late-night crowd. A SubCulture original.

Nightlife Respectable Street Clematis Street Clematis Street’s alternative music landmark since 1987. Live bands, DJ nights, new wave and indie dance parties in a historic building.

Nightlife Locals Only Lounge Clematis Street The easy-going second room at Forget Me Not on Clematis Street, a neighborhood bar for a relaxed drink before, between, or after the dance floor.

Nightlife Roxy’s Pub Clematis Street West Palm’s oldest bar. An Irish pub on Clematis Street with craft beer, chicken wings, sports, live music, and a rooftop bar.

Nightlife Clematis Social Clematis Street

By neighborhood

Where to drink, block by block

What kind of night?

Pick the vibe, we'll pick the room

Smaller roomsCocktail barsThe bartender-driven rooms where the menu is 20 drinks and every one of them is thought through.Find a spot →No pretenseDive barsCheap pours, strong drinks, a pool table, somebody's dog in the corner. The anti-club.Find a spot →Dance floorClubs and dancingDJs, bottle service, a line at the door after 11. For when a sit-down drink is not the point.Find a spot →On stageLive musicRooms with a stage: jazz, Latin, cover sets, the occasional touring band passing through.Find a spot →UpstairsRooftop barsWhere downtown WPB is prettiest after dark. Dress code is softer than you'd think.Find a spot →On the waterWaterfront barsSunset drinks along Flagler Drive and the Intracoastal, boats docked in the background.Find a spot →

From the Journal: going out

What you want to know before you go out

Where is the nightlife in West Palm Beach?

Downtown WPB's nightlife runs along Clematis Street (open-container Thursday nights at Clematis by Night, bars and clubs the rest of the week), CityPlace (bigger rooms, group spots), and the cocktail bars tucked into NORA District and Northwood Village. The by-neighborhood section above groups the current spots by block.

What is Clematis by Night?

A free Thursday evening street party on Clematis Street with live music by the fountain, running most of the year. People show up early for the music, stay for the bars after. It's why Clematis still sets the tempo for downtown nightlife.

What are the best cocktail bars in West Palm Beach?

The "Cocktail bars" bucket above groups the current spots. Most of the serious ones are in NORA District and Northwood Village, smaller rooms where the bartender actually built the menu. The hand-picked slots at the top of this page are refreshed as the scene changes.

Is downtown WPB safe at night?

Yes, generally. The Clematis Street and CityPlace core is well-lit, well-trafficked, and patrolled. Northwood is quieter, so you walk it the way you'd walk any residential block at night. Rideshare is common; parking is easiest on the north end of Olive and in the CityPlace garages.

Is this a sponsored list?

No. Bars and clubs pay for their directory listing. They don't pay for a spot on this page. If we recommend a bar here, it's because we think it's worth recommending. See /about/ for the full editorial policy.

How do you decide what makes the list?

The top of the page is hand-selected by our editorial team. Below that, cards auto-fill from Featured and Premium-tier listings in the Nightlife category, rotating on each page refresh. Every bar linked from this page is a verified listing on this site.

West Palm Beach Nightlife

Where we'd meet a friend after work

Where to drink, block by block

Clematis Street

Downtown WPB

Northwood Village

Pick the vibe, we'll pick the room

From the Journal: going out

What you want to know before you go out

Run a bar or club downtown? Get listed.