Great drinks & live music
Publish date: 20 April 2026
Stockholm is a city of music, and it’s not just the big stages that show it. All around town, there are bars, restaurants and clubs where you can combine a drink or dinner with live music – from intimate jazz in the Old Town to late-night club nights at Hornstull and in the Slakthusområdet. Here are some places to start, whether you want to sit close to the stage or continue the evening out on the dance floor.
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Jazz and blues
Bar Brahe is Hotel Reisen's small cocktail bar in the Old Town, with its own entrance and an intimate, cozy feel that is perfect for an evening that starts off calmly but still feels lively. The focus here is on live jazz on a small scale, often with a close feeling between audience and musician. A good choice for those who want to combine well-made drinks with a more relaxed music format.
Fasching is one of Stockholm's most legendary music scenes and an obvious name for anyone curious about the city's jazz scene. The venue functions as both a concert venue, club and restaurant/bar, with an ambitious program all year round. Here you will hear mainly jazz, soul, Latin, funk and related genres, often in an environment where both a seated audience and a dance floor can fit.
Glenn Miller Café is a small jazz club with a lot of personality, where you sit close to the stage and the music almost becomes part of the room. The venue combines a French bistro feel with live performances and is particularly appreciated by the jazz audience. Here, jazz is the main act, and the food and bar work as a natural part of the experience rather than the other way around.
This is a classic hotel bar and restaurant environment with a clear sense of old Stockholm elegance. The music profile at this Stureplans bar is clearly jazzy, with both established Swedish names and new artists on the program.
Nalen is one of Stockholm's most classic music addresses and is suitable for those who want to combine restaurant, bar and stage in a more historic environment. The house hosts concerts and other live evenings, and the restaurant also organizes jazz brunches with live music. The music profile is broad, but the jazz heritage is still a clear part of the identity
Stampen Jazz & Rhythm'n'blues bar
Stampen in the Old Town is a classic for those who want to experience live music in a more pub-like and unpretentious environment. The venue has a clear, lively club feel and is particularly known for jazz, rhythm’n’blues, blues and related genres, with recurring jams and live evenings. It is a place where the music feels natural, close and often quite swinging.
Other/mixed music genres
Södra Teatern
Aifur in the Old Town is a Viking tavern (!) where the whole experience leans towards the theatrical and historical, with long tables, mead, and a clear Viking profile. Here, the live music is part of the whole, and you drink mead and socialize seated at traditional long tables. Each group that comes in is loudly announced by the staff, which is met with cheers and raised glasses from other guests.
Debaser at Hornstull Strand is one of Stockholm's most established addresses for concerts and club nights, with several parts under the same roof. It accommodates both live performances, a nightclub, Bar Brooklyn and the restaurant Capricci, making it easy to have a whole evening in the same place. The music profile is broad, with everything from indie and rock to electronic and cross-genre club nights.
Engelen in Gamla stan is a classic nightspot with a pub, restaurant and nightclub in the same building. The venue is warm and rustic, and live music is played on stage seven days a week, from cover bands and rock to more established live acts. This is an easily accessible choice for those who want to eat, have a drink and stay as the evening changes.
Kollektivet Livet at Stadsgården is a contemporary bar and stage house with several rooms, a terrace and a clear event profile. This is a good choice for those who want an evening where bar-hopping and a live experience go hand in hand, but where music is still the focus. The program spans concerts, club nights and various cultural events rather than a single genre.
Södra Teatern on Mosebacke is one of Stockholm's most historic entertainment venues, with several stages, bars and terraces under the same roof. The experience here is bigger and more varied than at a regular live music bar, with concerts, club nights and stage programs in an environment with a clear metropolitan pulse. Musically, it is broad, from concerts on large stages to clubs and live shows in different parts of the house.