“Undoubtedly one of the premier spots for live music in Hanoi,” says Duncan Forgan at AFAR. With an “emphasis is on local alternative music,” Hanoi Rock City located in West Lake, about 10 minutes from downtown. It’s a mix of “outdoor bar, club and live music venue -- it all depends on the night,” explains Rusty Compass. “Don't expect soppy ballads or standard covers”; Hanoi Rock City focuses on “edgy local and international live acts and DJs.”
It’s “one part performance space, one part club, and one part United Nations,” says Paste magazine. “Everyone ranging from hip locals and visiting English teachers to backpackers who simply never left spill into Hanoi Rock City as the evening turns into night and night turns to morning.”